Stay With Me
by AshlynnElizabeth
Summary: After Reid is assaulted, can Morgan help him put his life back together, or will this send Reid over the edge, for good? Rated MA for first chapter, after that the story is rated T. Eventual Morgan/Reid !I DO NOT OWN CRIMINAL MINDS! my disclaimer
1. The Attack

Title: Stay With Me

Author: Ashley

Fandom: Criminal Minds

Rating: **MA SOLEY FOR THIS CHAPTER**: Rating WILL change at a later chapter. Please be warned! The assault scene is fairly graphic.

Ship: Eventual Reid/Morgan, Rossi/Prentiss

Summary: After Reid is assaulted, can Morgan help him put his life back together, or will this send Reid over the edge, for good?

Warning: The first chapter is fairly graphic… It's rated M for rape. I feel really bad about writing it. But it really is essential to know exactly what happens to him, to be able to understand later. And of course, my stories are full of slash.

Author's notes: This story won't leave me alone! This is my first criminal minds story! The attack is really bad and I cried while writing it, but it's essential to things that happen later in the story, that everything is well explained.

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_"I was never able to figure Reid out JJ, until now. I guess I always knew, but I was too scared to admit it… I love him, I only hope I haven't fucked up too much to fix."_

_"Morgan, you haven't screwed up at all. It wasn't you fault that he was attacked."_

_"I knew that he didn't have a car, I knew that. I should have-"_

_"Morgan, it's not your fault! You have to stop thinking that! It will beat you down if you keep blaming yourself."_

_"Reid and I fought… That night, I was supposed to bring him home."_

_"What happened?"_

_"He told me he was gay." _

_"Oh lord Morgan… I really hope it's not too late." _

_

* * *

_

David Rossi took a step back to avoid being run over by Reid, as he took off down the hallway. I knew that I should go after him, but I just stood there and let him go. I had too many things on my mind that I needed to work on them, and right now I knew I wouldn't be able to think about them with Reid around me.

I shrugged into my jacket and headed slowly down the hallway, trying to shake from my head what happened, and how Reid had started at me. I just couldn't get his tear streaked and hurt face from my mind.

I stopped by my car and let my head rest against the cold metal… I started to get worried about letting him walk home alone, but after I had just treated him… He probably wouldn't accept a ride anyway. I shook my head once more, climbing into my vehicle and heading the opposite way that I knew Spencer would be headed and continued to my favorite bar.

POV Shift

I couldn't believe what had just happened… I really hoped my friendship with Morgan would survive this bump in the road, but I wasn't sure that it would. His words stung, and I still felt the tears running off my face. I knew that I wouldn't sleep tonight.

I slowed my run down; there was no point in running from him anymore. Tomorrow I would call him and clear things up after he had time to cool down.

As I calmed down, I took shaky breaths to calm the tears that still ran down my face. As I walked I realized I should have called JJ or Penelope to drive me home. As I fished my cell phone out of my pocket, I became aware of footsteps behind me and I quickened my pace. I barely made it six steps when I felt strong arms wrap around my upper torso.

"You scream you die." I struggled weakly against my attacker as he dragged me into an alley way, his arm slipped up around my throat and I struggled to draw breath. He slammed me into a concrete wall and knocked the breath out of me.

"What do you want?" I groaned, trying to stand up when he kicked me sharply in the stomach. I let out a sharp cry of pain and he grabbed my hair, pulling me and turning me around to face the wall, slamming me against it again and pressing his weight against me. I could feel the rough concrete scrap my face and again I struggled to breathe. I tried to fight back, kicking my attacker in the groin and trying to run, but he grabbed my ankle and I fell down, hard, hitting my head on the pavement.

"Please!"

"Shut up!" I whimpered as he climbed on top of me, pinning my legs down ad punching me in the face, repeatedly. "I said shut up, you stupid fucking idiot." I closed my eyes tightly as the blows continued to rain down on my face. I raised my hands to protect my face, but he grabbed my wrist and twisted it sharply. I could hear the bones snap and I cried out in pain. My attacker growled angrily and dragged me up off the ground again, I couldn't stand and I fell back to the ground, this seemed to anger him even more and he kicked me again in the stomach, I gasped and tried to back away.

"Please! Leave me alone, take whatever you want," I whispered weakly as he continued to kick me. I couldn't remember a time when I had been in more pain. I tried to crawl away, but I didn't get far at all. He grabbed my hair again and I screamed. I couldn't do anything to protect my self, but my hand traveled to my hip and I tried to get a good grip on my gun. Whoever it was saw this, and wrestled it out of my grasp, before throwing me into the wall, I heard something crunch as I hit it again. I looked up from the ground and saw that my own weapon was pointed at my face.

"You really thought you could shoot me Spencer?" his voice was deep and slow, controlled.

"How do you know my name?" I whimpered out, clutching my stomach.

"I know everything about you." He stepped closer and struck the side of my head with my gun. I felt dizzy, and I fought to keep consciousness, "You are weak. This proved it. Get up and fight like a man." I thought of Morgan, and the rest of the BAU team, would they investigate my death? The thought was chilling, and I hoped this didn't cause them any unnecessary pain. I climbed to my feet weakly, and raised my hands feebly. I swung, and missed, and he grabbed my good wrist and twisted my arm behind my back, before shoving me roughly up against the wall again. My head connected with the concrete with another sharp sound. I fell to the ground once more, and lost consciousness for a moment. I could feel my clothes being cut off, and it woke me up. I looked to find my hands bound, handcuffs cutting deeply into my broken wrist. I could feel the cold on every part of my body, and I began to hyperventilate when I realized what the maniac had in store next.

"Please… No…" my voice was weak, and I tried to calm my breathing, reminding myself of my friends, and hoping I could make it to tell them that I loved them again.

"Shut up and enjoy it faggot." I just laid there on the ground, trying to block everything out and disengage. I winced as I could hear a belt buckle being undone. A burning pain shot across my lower back, and I could feel blood trickling down my back. The knife he used to cut my clothes was back in his hand, and he was meticulously dragging it across short distances on my body. It hurt so bad, I couldn't stop the moans of pain. Then it stopped and I could hear the dull thump of clothes hitting the ground. I was dragged up by the handcuffs and pushed against the wall, it wasn't as hard as it had been before, but it was still rough, the cold concrete scrapped numerous parts of my body.

I couldn't block out the pain as He forced himself into me, and it made me more aware. I whimpered continuously, and it just caused him to be rougher, slamming into me so hard that it hurt, and caused me to hit the wall. I suddenly felt that dying would be better compared to this. "You like it don't you?" I shook my head, causing my face to scrape the concrete. He grabbed my hair and pulled my head back sharply, while running his hand across my chest, he seemed to be enjoying himself. I started crying again, knowing that after this he would probably kill me. "I'm gonna break you boy." I shook my head again, trying to loosen his hold on my hair but he pulled himself out of me and forced me to the ground, on my knees, still holding my hair. I closed my eyes, fearing the humiliation that came next.

"Bite me, and I'll kill you." I turned my head and shut my mouth, ignoring the pain from him holding my hair. "Open your mouth." I kept my mouth and eyes shut tightly. "I SAID OPEN IT!" He slapped me hard across my face and I gasped, he seized his chance and grabbed my cheeks, forcing my mouth open. I could feel the tears rolling off my face, but there was nothing I could do. He forced me to perform oral on him, and held me down for such long periods of time that I couldn't breathe, and I thought I was going to black out. Finally it stopped, and I found myself being dragged up against the wall again.

I wanted so badly for it to stop. But I knew it wouldn't, I'd seen too many cases like this to believe that it would end, and he would just leave me alone. I felt like he was going to pull my hair out as he held my head close to his by my hair. Pain ripped through my lower body.

"Say you like it!" He growled, into my ear. I hit the wall again. "Say you want it." I felt drained emotionally and physically. "Say it's the best you ever fucking had."

"It's the best I ever had." I whispered. His moans made me sick.

"Say you want it!" He yelled in my ear.

"I want it." I sobbed, never in my life had I been so humiliated. He gripped my hair again and slammed my head against the wall. Suddenly, he wasn't in me or near me. I could hear my things being gathered up, pants zipping, and then footsteps pounding the pavement as he ran.

I laid there on the ground, freezing, naked, bleeding, and not knowing what to do. He said he was going to break me, and I couldn't help feeling as he had. I brought my knees up, but I had no strength left in me. I closed my eyes, and every particle of my being screamed for rest. I knew I probably had a concussion, and that I should try and stay awake, but I didn't care. For the first time in my life, I welcomed the darkness, and prayed that I wouldn't wake up.


	2. Love you

Title: Stay with Me

Author: Ashley

Fandom: Criminal Minds

Rating: **T**: May contain flashbacks of Reid's attack.

Ship: Eventual Reid/Morgan, Hotch/Prentiss (I changed the second ship to Hotch/Prentiss, because I really couldn't see Rossi and Prentiss together. I've decided that I will eventually pair these two instead.)

Summary: After Reid is assaulted, can Morgan help him put his life back together, or will this send Reid over the edge, for good?

Warning: This chapter is very fluffy compared to the first.

Author's notes: Thank you to all of my reviewer's and peoples that alerted/favorite this story! It's a real joy writing for all of you! And I hope you enjoy this slightly fluffier chapter!

_

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_

_Aaron groaned as his phone rang, he looked at his clock: 3am. He grabbed the phone and pressed it to his ear. "Hotchner," When there was no reply, I figured it was JJ. "JJ if you are calling with a case at three fifteen in the morning, whatever it is can wait until..."_

"Agent Aaron Hotchner?" An official sounding voice roused me enough that I sat up in bed.

"Yes."

"I'm sorry to disturb you; this is Dr. Bayfield, at Potomac Hospital." The female caller took a deep breath before continuing, "Again I'm sorry about the disturbance, but I am required to notify the supervisor of any law enforcement official admitted to the hospital here."

"One of my agents is in the hospital?" I climbed on the bed, pressing the phone between my shoulder and ear and grabbing my pants off the floor. "Which agent?" Faces flashed through my mind in a haze. Jennifer, Reid, Morgan, Garcia, Emily, Dave.

"Dr. Spencer Reid. One of the doctors here recognized him when he was brought in. I would like for you to come down here right away and deal with the local police, on this matter. They have requested you and your team, sir." My heart dropped to my gut as I agreed and hung the phone up, already heading out to my car. What could have happened that was bad enough for the police to be involved.

POV Shift

I rolled over and grabbed my phone to cease its annoying ring. "Morgan."

"Derek, it's Hotch." The rare use of my first name grabbed my attention.

"What's going on Hotch?"

Hotch's voice was grave as he answered. "You need to get to the hospital. Right away, this can't wait. Please, don't ask what's wrong, it's not something I want to discuss over the phone, just get here."

"No problem boss, Potomac?"

"Yeah."

"It'll be ten minutes." I hung my phone up quickly and threw on the first things my hands touched. It was record time for me; I was dressed and out of my apartment in three minutes.

I broke several speed limits in my haste to get to the hospital; I was hopelessly scared that something was wrong with one of the team. That was the only explanation my mind came up with for the tone of Hotch's voice on the phone. By the time I finally pulled up at Potomac, it was exactly seven minutes after I got off the phone with Hotch.

I spotted JJ, Emily, Dave's cars in the spots near the doors. I almost started hyperventilating right there. That left Reid or Penelope, my two closest friends. I picked up the pace so that I was practically running into the ER. Hotch met me only a few feet from the doors.

"Hotch. What's going on?!" Emily and JJ were crying while they talked to a white coated Doctor. Dave was sitting on a plastic chair with his head in his hands.

"Morgan I need you to be calm right now, ok?" I nodded not trusting myself to speak. "Reid was attacked on his way home."

"No," I moaned, covering my face with my hands.

"It's really bad Derek, and I need to know if you can deal with hearing it." I nodded, pulling my hands away from my face. "We should probably sit down anyway." I followed him to the commercial plastic chairs.

"How bad is it Hotch?" I was shocked at how thick my voice was, and I balled my and up in a fist.

"It's bad Derek. Its really bad. He was attacked on his way home, in an alley about a block from his house. From what we can tell so far, the attacker mostly used his fists, but he also used a knife, there a several deep lacerations on various parts of his body." I took a deep breath, and anger welled up in me. "There are various scrapes and contusions covering his body. He has a broken wrist, two broken ribs, a hairline fracture in his cheek bone, dislocated shoulder, a major concussion, another hairline fracture on his skull, internal bleeding in his abdomen that they were able to repair, he's had over 100 stitches, three above his eye, several under his right eye, six to close the gash across his knee, and more to close up the lacerations." I couldn't stop the tears that rolled off my face. This was my fault, if I had just taken him home.

"There's more isn't there," I whispered.

I could barely hear Hotch's voice when he answered me. "Yes." I nodded for him to continue.

"He was raped Derek. Brutally, if Reid wasn't such a fighter this guy would have killed him." I stood up out of my seat. The tears stopped, and I was filled with pure rage.

"Please tell me they caught the guy." Hotch shook his head, and I could see the toll this was taking on him as well. "How'd they find him?"

"A woman heard his screams from her apartment, but by the time she got there, suspect had fled, with all of Reid's belongings. She found him curled up on the ground, naked and beaten, but alive. Just barely, she tended his wounds until the paramedics got there."

I was stopped from responding when a blond blur barreled into me.

"Is it true?!" I pulled Garcia into a hug and nodded, she burst into tears.

"I wanna see him Hotch." Hotch nodded.

"As soon as the doctor clears it, he's still unconscious." Hotch turned away from me, looking for a doctor.

"Are we working this case Hotch?"

"No." I scoffed and angrily turned for the door. "Morgan where the hell do you think you are going?"

"I'm going to find the bastard that did this and kill him with my bare fucking hands! What the hell do you think I'm doing Hotch?!" I headed for the door again, but Dave grabbed me from behind.

"What good are you going to do Reid when he wakes up and _you aren't here._" Dave whispered in my ear. "You know good and damn well that Reid is going to want you more than anyone. And you'll be the only one that will be able to get near him I expect." I tried to yank away from him, but he held me tighter. "We will get this guy, and I promise you that you will have your chance with him, but right now Reid needs you here when he wakes up." I stopped trying to pull away and just nodded. I knew it was true, and I knew I needed to see Reid.

"Uhm, are you all here for Dr Reid?" My head shot up and I stared at the doctor that had appeared.

"Yes." Hotch muttered, stepping forward, hand outstretched. "We're his coworkers. I'm his supervisor, Aaron Hotchner."

"I'm Dr. Bayfield, we spoke on the phone." She checked her charts. "We've had trouble locating his next of kin, do you happen to know?"

"I'm his next of kin." I muttered stepping forward, also holding my hand out. "Derek Morgan."

"Okay, well he is awake, I would like you to see him one at a time, and I warn you, he is not very responsive."

"Is he not stable?" I asked almost angrily.

"Oh he's physically stable, but emotionally… He's a broken man Agent Morgan. I hope you have more progress with him than we did."

She gave me his room number, and the team agreed that I should go see him first. I walked to his room in a daze, not really noticing where I was going.

I didn't bother knocking, but walked right in. What I saw shocked the hell out of me. No matter what happened, I had never seen Reid like this before. Not even when Hankle abducted him. The sight made my blood boil. I could see the outlines of the attackers fist on the side of his face, and his right eye was swollen shut, his cheek was scraped, like it had been dragged across concrete, and I had had too much training not to put the pieces of that one painfully together.

But what pissed me off the most, was the fact that the doctor had been right. Reid looked, broken. There was no other word for it. He was just laying there on his side, staring blankly at the wall.

"Spence?" He didn't respond, so I stepped closer to the bed, and tentively put a hand on his shoulder. He flinched back and looked up at me with fright, whimpering quietly, I gingerly touched his face, careful not to hurt him.

"Spencer, it's me. It's Morgan, don't be scared okay?" I kept my voice as calm and quiet as I could while seeing all the damage and the fear in his eyes. His eyes focused a little bit and I sat down on the edge of the bed, wanting to pull him into a hug, but not wanting to scare him. "Spence, I'm going to hug you okay? I don't want you to be scared, it's just me."

"Derek?" If I hadn't been looking at Reid's mouth when he spoke my name, I wouldn't know it was coming from him. I didn't recognize his voice at all, although it sounded slightly familiar, this horse, broken whisper didn't sound like my Reid at all. Then with another pang of anger, I realized his voice had sounded like this when Tobias Hankle was torturing him.

"Yeah Pretty Boy, it's me. How you doing?" Reid started crying and his hand reached weakly for me. I grabbed his hand and unthinkingly pressed it to my face. "Shhh… It's okay Kid, I'm here."

"I though I was going to die," he sobbed, resting his head on my leg, and I placed my hand gently on the back of his head, and rubbed his back gently with the other. "I thought he was going to kill me." He took a deep, shaky breath.

"Reid, what did he do to you?" I pushed him back very carefully, so he was lying back on his pillow, and I wrapped my hand around his. He still looked scared, so I gently placed my free hand on his cheek and scooted closer to him. It seemed to calm him. "What did he do to break you like this?"

"He-h-he raped me, Derek." Reid's voice was still so small and broken sounding, and I couldn't calm the sobs that were shaking his frame. "He took all my clothes off, and handcuffed me. He grabbed my hair a-and s-slam-slammed me agains-against the w-wall. And…" He was unable to finish, and I totally understood why, I was crying as well. "He forced me onto my knees," Reid whispered and I gasped. "He s-slapped me and h-he said he'd k-kill me if I b-bit him and he for-forced my mouth o-open and," I closed my eyes, turning my head away, the urge to get up and leave, go and hunt the bastard down, kill him with my bare hands grew stronger. "I thought he was going to suf-suffacate me."

"Reid you don't have to tell me anymore about that." I could see how much it hurt him to talk about it. "What happened next? You only have to tell me if you want to."

"He d-dragged me up again b-by my ha-hair and sl-slammed me against the wa-wall again," Reid's voice was still shaking with sobs, "I thought it was never going to end." He whispered. "He-he pulled my head back and told me to say I l-l-liked it, and that I-I wan-wanted it, every time he said something he sl-slammed into me ha-harder. He told me to say it was the 'best I ever fucking had' and I-I did." Reid shuddered, "I t-told him it was the b-best I e-ever had."

I bent down and pulled Reid's upper body close to me. "H-he shouted at me to s-say I w-wanted it, and I-I d-di-did."

"Shhh, Reid, you don't have to say anymore. You're safe now, and I'm not going to let anything hurt you anymore," I muttered, holding him close to me as possible without hurting him. He was still sobbing and he clutched at me frantically, as if scared I would leave him. I held him for a long time, until his body stopped shaking, and the sob's quieted. His breathing finally evened out and I laid him down gently, careful not to disrupt him. I brushed his hair off his face, and pushed it behind his ear, a strange feeling rising in me. I sat down by the bed, pulling my phone out of my pocket, and sending a text to Hotch, telling him that Reid was out again, and that I wasn't leaving, but he could send the rest of the team up to see him.

Reid started whimpering in his sleep, and it drew my attention back to him, I put my hand back on his. "It's okay Spencer, I'm right here."

"Mmm," I frowned, and placed my palm flat against his cheek.

"Shhh, Spence, it's Derek, I'm right here."

"Love you Derek," he mumbled, turning his head closer to my hand. My breathing stopped and I realized he was still asleep.

"Love you too Spence," I couldn't help but whisper back.


	3. Not Your Fault

Title: Stay with Me

Author: Ashley

Fandom: Criminal Minds

Rating: **T**

Ship: Eventual Reid/Morgan, Hotch/Prentiss (I changed the second ship to Hotch/Prentiss, because I really couldn't see Rossi and Prentiss together. I've decided that I will eventually 'reveal' these two instead.)

Summary: After Reid is assaulted, can Morgan help him put his life back together, or will this send Reid over the edge, for good?

Warning: None

Chapter summary: Morgan convinces Hotch to take Reid's case. JJ and Morgan share a heart-to-heart, and Reid wakes up again.

Author's notes: Thank you to all of my reviewer's and peoples that alerted/favorite this story! It's a real joy writing for all of you! And I hope you enjoy this slightly fluffier chapter!

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_"I don't understand why you are still here." _

_"Because, even though you are one of the best profilers in the country you can be really blind sometimes!" _

_"That still doesn't explain why you are still standing here, damn it!" _

_"Because I love you! Is it that hard to understand that I am capable of emotions, Agent Prentiss?"_

_"Yes it is."_

_

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_

I stood up to a soft knock on the room door. I knew it was the rest of the team, I was worried about leaving Reid but I knew I had to for a few moments. I touched Reid's face gently, "I'll be right outside the door kid, you'll be fine," I bent low to his face to whisper the words to him. I trailed my fingers across the stitches on his cheek and then turned quickly away.

Hotch has let himself in the room, and I motioned for him to follow me back outside and the rest of the team head into the room. I shut the door behind me and crossed my arms.

"What is this about Morgan?" He asked softly, staring through the glass in the door at his youngest Agent. "I want to go in there and make sure for myself…"

"He's not going to talk about it again, he could barely tell me, but he did, and it took me almost twenty minutes to calm him down, and when he did he was out from exhaustion." I shook my head, and Hotch stared at me, concern lacing his features. I was positive he could see the rage in my eyes. I took a deep breath.

"Derek-"

"Hotch, I will talk to Reid and if he says it is okay then I will tell you guys what happened." I cast my gaze back toward Reid in concern; it was painful to be away from him when I knew he needed me. My voice dropped to a whisper. "What Dave said to me before, in the waiting room… If I didn't think that Reid needed me I would already be looking for this guy." I looked up at my boss, friend, and father figure, "Hotch. Aaron… We _have _to work this case. We have got to get him off the streets. He was interrupted in that alley, what if he comes back to finish Reid off?"

"I agree with you one hundred percent Derek, but…" Aaron looked toward the room again, "Screw it. We are going after this bastard." I could see the grim determination in his eyes, and I knew that if anybody could take this bastard off the streets it was our team.

"Aaron, when you find this guy, I want five minutes alone with him. Just give me five minutes, that's all I will ask, even if it is before you bring him in." Aaron looked around and he stepped closer to me, he was only an inch away from me, and he leaned his head down to mine, our cheeks a hair width away from each others.

"When we find him you can have him Morgan, if it's the last thing that I do." He stepped away from me, and made his way into Reid's room. I smiled grimly and walked in, taking a post by the door until the team left.

It was over an hour before Hotch ordered the team out. He declared that Reid needed peace to recover and that they all needed to rest so they could start looking for his attacker.

"I'm not leaving Hotch." I took my post back by Reid, as they all filed up to the bed to say goodbye. Garcia kissed his forehead softly, and I felt a pang off jealousy at the sight of it. I shook it off, because I knew it was just the way Baby Girl acted. Emily did the same thing, but she brushed a small piece of hair off his forehead first. JJ just stared down at him, her coat in her arms, and let her fingers linger on his chest.

"I didn't expect you too. Come on guys, they are going to kick us out soon anyways." Everyone nodded and headed to the door. We were a subdued group, everyone was worried about Reid. Aaron nodded at me, and with one last nervous glance at Reid he led the group out of the room. JJ was the last to leave, she had lingered by Reid's bed, as she passed me to leave, she touched my shoulder and I grabbed her hand.

"I need to talk to you JJ; can you stay a little longer?" JJ smiled a little and nodded, going to the door and closing it quietly.

"What do you need to talk about Derek?" She pulled the other chair near mine, and I saw another small smile grace her face as I grabbed Reid's hand possessively.

"This is my fault." She shook her head, and her hand rested gently on my knee.

"No it's not, it's no one's fault, except our Unsub's. You know that Derek." I shook my head and stared at Reid's face, it was so hard seeing him lying there and knowing that I could have prevented it if I hadn't fought with him.

"I was never able to figure Reid out JJ, until now. I guess I always knew, but I was too scared to admit it… I love him, I only hope I haven't fucked up too much to fix." I tore my gaze away from Reid to look at Jennifer as I spoke.

"Morgan, you haven't screwed up at all. It wasn't your fault that he was attacked." I shook my head again, and turned my gaze back to Reid.

"I knew that he didn't have a car, I knew that. I should have-" I couldn't speak anymore.

"Morgan, it's not your fault! You have to stop thinking that! It will beat you down if you keep blaming yourself." JJ was staring at Reid too, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Reid and I fought… That night, I was supposed to bring him home." I brought my other hand up to Reid's and folded both of my hands around his.

"What happened?" JJ had turned her gaze back to me, the look on her face was soft, not judgmental at all.

"He told me he was gay." I was ashamed that I reacted so badly to Reid's confession.

"Oh lord Morgan… I really hope it's not too late." She looked shocked. "For the two of you, I mean. I know he loves you, I can see it in his eyes every time he looks at you."

"I know he loves me JJ, he had a nightmare and I touched his face and told him I was here." I put my head down on Reid's hand. "He muttered 'Love you Derek'"

"What did you do?" JJ touched my back softly.

"I said Love you too, Spence." I brought my head away from Reid's hand and stared at his face again. His face was scrunched up in pain. "I do love him JJ, but after the things I said to him when he told me he was gay… He will probably never forgive me."

"What did you say to him Derek?" JJ placed her hand gently on Reid's stomach and gave her full attention to me. I rubbed circles on Reid's hand with my thumb, and turned so I was facing her.

"He came up to me after we had both clocked out and said he needed to talk to me about something." I took a deep breath, I still felt horrible. "I told him to go ahead, and the words just tumbled out of his mouth, he just blurted out 'Derek I'm gay' I couldn't speak, I just stared at him and backed up a step.

"I could see how much it hurt him when I stepped away from him, but I didn't stop there. When I found my voice I asked him to repeat what he had just said and he did. I yelled at him, told him he had betrayed my trust." It was a mark of our friendship that JJ didn't look absolutely appalled. "He started to cry, and clasped his hands in front of him, practically begging me to hear him out. 'Please Derek! Just hear what I have to say! I'm sorry I never told you but I was scared of what you would think!' Was what he said. I just brushed him away from me and stepped back from him again." I looked down at Reid, making sure he was still out. I didn't want him to have to relive our fight again.

"I knew how much it was hurting him, my reactions, but I just couldn't help it." I couldn't stop the tears that welled up in my eyes either, "I started to turn away, and he grabbed my wrist: 'Please Derek!' He begged me to listen to him again." I looked up at JJ and her mouth was hanging open in shock again. "God, what did I do JJ?"

"You hurt him." She sighed and glanced at Reid again. "Go on, or is that it?"

"I wish. I turned around and I shoved him, he gasped and I thought he was going to fall, but he caught himself and reached for me again. I remember being so mad that he was crying! I couldn't believe that he would just drop that on me, and then he stepped toward me again, he was shaking. He made to grab for my hand and I jerked it out of his grasp, I shouted at him again, and he took off running down the hallway. I didn't go after him." I groaned and rubbed my eyes with my free hand. "I should have gone after him. No matter how mad I was I shouldn't have let him walk home when he was that upset!"

"What did you say to him?"

"I said 'Don't you fucking touch me faggot.' I don't know what made me say it." I felt the tears finally make their way down my cheeks and I looked at JJ. "I love him Jennifer! Why did I say that to him?!"

"Don't blame yourself, Derek. What's done is done, and all you can hope for is that he will forgive your mistake. You guys have been closer than anything for years, and he just sprung that on you, it would have pissed anybody off after all those years of not saying anything."

"JJ, it's my fault! It's all my fault!" I stood up and walked away from the bed, placing both hands over my face and sighing hard. "If I hadn't let him leave last night… If I had gone after him… If I had just realized that I…" I lost control and I slid down the wall, sobbing. "I could have lost him last night JJ, without ever telling him that I need him!" I buried my face in my knees. "This is my fault, there is no denying it."

"Don't-"

"It's my fault JJ!"

"Der, it's not your fault." A new, hoarse voice joined our conversation and I jumped up off the floor, wiping my face so Reid wouldn't see me cry. "I shouldn't have told you like that, and I shouldn't have run off." I went over to him and bent close to him, resting my forehead against his lightly.

"How much did you hear?" I whispered, touching the side of his face with no scrapes.

He coughed and I held his good shoulder comfortingly. "Enough," he whispered back, bringing his hand up to my face, I leaned my face into the warmth. It was so painful to hear Reid's voice, he still sounded so broken, and yet _he_ was the one comforting _me_. "You know how I feel, now. We have no secrets from each other." I moved my forehead away from his only to brush my lips across the same spot my head had been resting.

"Yes, we do." I looked over at JJ and she pointedly looked away. I brought my face back to Reid's, resting my forehead back where it had been. "I have a secret from you."

"No." He sounded so scared, and my heart wrenched in two to hear the broken tone his voice held again. "Please no."

"Shh, shh, shh, it's not a bad secret Kid, at least I do think it is." I moved so I was sitting on the bed, and our faces were even and I brought both of my hands up to either side of his face being very cautious of his wounds. He closed his eyes at my touch and I started to pull my hands away when both of his came up to mine. I smiled. "Is this okay?"

"Mhm," he breathed a little more even then he had all night. "This feels… nice."

"Reid, Spencer, I need you to listen very carefully, and believe every word that comes out of my mouth," I insisted gently, never raising my voice above a whisper. "From the first time I laid eyes on you, you were one of the most important things in my life. I have always kept you close and you know that, you also know what happened in my childhood to keep me from wanting to be with another man. There is just something about you… You took away all those reasons, and it doesn't matter with you." I took a deep breath and brushed my nose across Reid's playfully. "When you told me you were gay, it scared me Spence, I was scared that I would have to face my feelings, and I wasn't sure if I was ready for that." I struggled to keep the tears out of my voice. "When Hotch told me what happened, the only things that stopped me from walking out of the hospital to hunt the bastard was David telling me that you would need me when you woke up. I was so scared I was going to lose you without telling you everything!"

"Derek-"

I put a finger to his lips gently, "No interrupting." I moved my hand back to his cheek. "I won't be afraid for you again, because I'm never going to push you away again, I'm never going to leave you again." I was crying, and so was Reid, I could hear him sniffling. "Spencer, I love you. I have _always _loved you, I was just scared to admit it." I Pulled my forehead away so I could look into his eyes as I next spoke.

"I know I might have a lot to answer to, but I won't give up. I will be with you Spence, and I will protect you." I brought my face closer to his again, and I heard his breath hitch slightly, but it didn't sound broken or scared like it had when he was telling me what happened. "I will make everything up to you."

"I love you D-Derek." I smiled for the first time in hours.

"That's exactly what I wanted to hear," I half laughed. Reid's mouth twitched up in a small smile, and I happily pressed my lips to his and I couldn't help but smile when he put one hand on the small of my back, and the other on the back of my head.

I pulled away from Reid, and he touched my cheek again. "I love you Spencer."

"You guys are too cute!!!" JJ squealed, "I couldn't help myself!" Reid and I both let out an exasperated chuckle and I laid my head on the pillow by Reid's.

"It's okay JJ, now I have a witness, if this genius ever forgets what I just said." Reid touched my face and I turned, brushing my lips across his.

"I don't need eidetic memory to remember this." And as he applied pressure on my cheek, and I put my lips gently against his.


	4. Jason!

Title: Stay with Me

Author: Ashley

Fandom: Criminal Minds

Rating: **T**: May contain flashbacks of Reid's attack.

Ship: Eventual Reid/Morgan, Hotch/Prentiss

Summary: After Reid is assaulted, can Morgan help him put his life back together, or will this send Reid over the edge, for good?

Warning: Flashbacks to parts of the attack.

Chapter Summary: Derek and Spencer share a few moments together. Enter Jason Gideon!

Author's notes: Thank you to all of my reviewer's and peoples that alerted/favorite this story! It's a real joy writing for all of you!

* * *

_"Please… No…" my voice was weak, and I tried to calm my breathing, reminding myself of my friends, and hoping I could make it to tell them that I loved them again._

_"Shut up and enjoy it faggot." I just laid there on the ground, trying to block everything out and disengage. I winced as I could hear a belt buckle being undone. A burning pain shot across my lower back, and I could feel blood trickling down my back. The knife he used to cut my clothes was back in his hand, and he was meticulously dragging it across short distances on my body. It hurt so bad, I couldn't stop the moans of pain. Then it stopped and I could hear the dull thump of clothes hitting the ground. I was dragged up by the handcuffs and pushed against the wall, it wasn't as hard as it had been before, but it was still rough, the cold concrete scrapped numerous parts of my body._

_I couldn't block out the pain as He forced himself into me, and it made me more aware. I whimpered continuously, and it just caused him to be rougher, slamming into me so hard that it hurt, and caused me to hit the wall. I suddenly felt that dying would be better compared to this. "You like it don't you?" I shook my head, causing my face to scrape the concrete. He grabbed my hair and pulled my head back sharply, while running his hand across my chest, he seemed to be enjoying himself. I started crying again, knowing that after this he would probably kill me. "I'm gonna break you boy." _

"NO!" I gasped and opened my eyes, throwing my hands out, trying to push away from the wall. "Derek! Help!" Someone grabbed my hands and I yanked them back, struggling and kicking. "Let me GO! Please LET ME GO!"

"SPENCER! Snap out of it baby, it's me!" I couldn't breathe, and I struggled to get up, fighting against whoever it was that was holding me down, crying out for Derek in between sobs and screams for help.

And then the weight holding me down was gone, and there was just a hand on my cheek. I opened my eyes and looked up into Derek's dark brown eyes. His hand was warm and I turned my cheek into his hand, sniffling and closing my eyes. "I'm so-"

"Don't you dare apologize to me, boy," Derek smiled sadly as he continued to brush my cheek with his thumb. "It's not your fault." I opened my eyes and looked back up at him, trying not to focus on the dark red spot under his eye.

"Did I hit you?" I asked softly, focusing on his eyes. He nodded and sat back down on the edge of the bed.

"I'm fine baby," he motioned to the bed. "Can I lay back down with you?" I closed my eyes, every part of my body screaming in pain from my reaction to my dream.

"Uh huh," I scooted back over as far as possible, and turned my head to look at Derek as he laid down next to me. "When did I fall asleep?" I winced at how horrible my voice sounded. It sounded empty, even to me, and I struggled to put some life back in it.

I had been an agent too long to think that I would just "get better." But I knew I had to start somewhere, and I had also been in love with Derek for too long to not feel a little bit happy. Ever since I started working with Derek I felt safe wherever he was, and that was no exception now. I knew it would be a little bit harder to get my life back, but I didn't want Derek to suffer along with me. Derek sighed and I looked ober to see him with his elbow propped up on the pillow, laying on his side, with his head in his hand. He was staring at me with a strange expression on his face. I tried to stare back at him, but the gaze he gave me was so intense that I looked away, blushing.

"What?" I whispered as I turned my face back to him when I was sure that the blush was gone. He caught my cheek with his free hand. "What are you thinking about?"

"You." I blushed again but his hand kept me from turning my head. "I was just wondering why I was ever scared about this, it's so easy being with you, kissing you. Loving you." I felt tears welling up in my eyes, I wasn't used to people caring about me as much as Morgan did. I hesistantly pressed my lips against his. "See, that is really easy to get addicted to really fast Pretty Boy," he breathed the words so casually into our kiss, that it shocked me. I wasn't used to Derek talking this way to anyone, especially not me.

"Derek…"

"Spence I want to apologize for evedrything I've put you through" I opened my mouth to speak but Derek put his finger to my lips in an infuriating and more frequently occurring gesture. I huffed and rolled my eyes up to his, glaring at him from under my eye lids, a pout on my face. "Why did you run last night?"

"I'm not sure. I just got scared and ran… the second part of my plan had been telling you that I cared for you, and I was afraid of what I would say if I stayed, that I would just blurt it out, and you would never speak to me again." I coughed and scooted closer to Derek, sighing when his arm slipped around me and his chin settled on the back of my head. His chest was warm and I buried my face in it as gently as possible. He dragged his hand up my back and my body tensed up, and I froze, holding my breath, waiting for the panic to go away. _"It's just Derek stupid; he's not going to hurt you!" _

"Baby, you okay?"

"Of course not." I looked up at Derek who had a shocked look on his face. "I don't know how long its going to take for me to be okay again, Der." I took a deep breath. "I mean, statistics say for a stranger-rape victim to recover it can take a minimum of six to twelve months to begin recovery. For a rape victim who knew his attacker it can take up to three years for a victim to begin to accept what happened and start to believe in people again.

The corners of his mouth twitched up. "What are the percentages for those?"

"Uhm, seventy percent for both if I'm not mistaken."

"And the other thirty percent Reid?"

"Oh…" I looked back at Derek's grim smile. "Oh. You don't care, do you?"

"Not a bit, Pretty Boy." Derek kissed my forehead softly. "All that matters to me is that you are safe, and that we are together, that you are alive. Everything else will come in time." Derek laid back down and pulled me to him, my head settled right under his chin, and I brought my hand up to his chest. "I'll stand by your side no matter what Spence, and I'll make sure you have everything that you need." I closed my eyes tightly and clutched Derek's shirt. I had never seen him act like this before, of before today anyway, heard him speak in the tone of voice he had been using with me since he told me he loved me.

"I don't care how long it takes, I'll be here by you through _everything_, there is no way I'm going anywhere." I opened my eyes and pulled back slightly to see Derek's chocolate brown eyes staring back down at me. We both moved closer to each other as soon as Derek's phone started ringing. I closed the distance between our lips and sighed when he started pulling away.

"Let it ring," I pressed my lips to Derek's cheek and groaned as he got up.

"You know I can't do that Spence, it might be Hotch calling with an update on your case." He grabbed his phone from his jacket pocket and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Or worse my Baby Girl or JJ calling to ask about you, and if I don't answer that one… you don't want me to die now do you?" I gave him a look of mock-horror and shook my head. He smiled and flipped his phone open, pressing it to his ear.

POV Change 

"Morgan," I looked down at Reid as I spoke.

_"It's Hotch, how's Reid doing, and how are you holding up?" _

"He's good, I'm sitting here with him right now." I smiled at Reid and took his hand. "We're both good Hotch."

_"I need you to go to the nurses station and meet someone for me, talk to them and explain what is going on before they get to Reid's room." _

"I really don't want to leave him right now if I can help it, is there some other way?" I stood up and pulled my hand out of Reid's and held it up when he opened his mouth.

_"Morgan, I know you don't want to leave him right now and believe me I wouldn't ask you too if it wasn't important. But I think it will make Reid happy, and I don't have time to explain everything all over again when I'm trying to find this Unsub." _Hotch let out a deep breath, it came through the phone as a rush of static. _"Someone is here to see him, but don't say anything to him." _

"Alright Hotch, but you owe me big time." I snapped my phone shut and glared at the wall for a minute after Hotch chuckled in my ear. "Baby…"

"How long?" I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose; the broken sound in Reid's voice was back and he sounded just as scared as he did the first time I walked through the hospital room door.

"I don't know Spencer, not long."

"Where?" He looked so heartbroken.

"Right down the hallway baby, I won't be gone long." His face broke into a look of relief.

"Oh, I thought you had a case." I moved back over to the bed and brushed Spencer's curly hair off his face and behind his ear.

"Number one, _Dr. _Reid, I'm not leaving this hospital until you do, Number two, until you tell me to get the hell out of town before you kill me yourself: I'm not working any case farther than a thirty mile radius from my townhouse." I kissed the back of Reid's hand softly. "Oh, and number three, until we catch this guy I'm sticking to you like glue kid." Spencer smiled a little smile at me, one quick quirk of his lips.

"Why though? You have your friends, our pseudo family with the BAU, your real family. You have a life Derek, why waste it sitting here with me?"

"Wow, for an IQ of one eighty seven you are really, _really _dumb." I brushed his nose with my lips. "Again number one: I just almost lost you, I'm not going through that again. Number two: JJ, Emily, and not to mention Garcia would skin me alive if I left you alone now, now I don't know about you, but I like my balls." Reid smiled a little bit again. "And last but not least: I love you Spencer, my friends, my family... They will understand, or they won't it really doesn't matter. You are a huge part of my life… The team understands. Now, this might sound crazy overprotective Pretty Boy, but you aren't going to be alone until this guy is in custody."

"It doesn't sound overprotective; it sounds like something Gideon would say if he were here." I chuckled and kissed his forehead before getting up and heading for the door.

"I don't know if I should take that as a compliment or not." I turned to look back at Spencer as I pushed the door open. "Love you Spence."

I heard a little, whispered "love you too" as the door shut behind me.

The walk to the nurse's station took less then a minute, but I started worrying about Reid the moment I got too far away to see his door clearly. I knew it was foolish, but I wanted to be closer to him to make sure he was safe, even though I knew there was a very slim likelihood of something happening to him in the hospital with me forty five seconds away. I bumped into someone as I was glancing over my shoulder, he let out a soft grunt, but I didn't even look up. Until he caught my arm.

"Sorry, But I'm looking for someone."

"I believe you are looking for me SSA Morgan." My eyes shot from the hand on my arm to the man in front of me and my mouth dropped.

"Six years and all you can do is stare kid?" I yanked my arm back and pulled him into a hug.

"Well damn Jason, hello to you too. What are you doing here?" He smiled at me and motioned down the hall.

"Reid," He sighed and his smile fell. "Hotch called me, he told me it was bad." He looked back down at me. "How bad is he Morgan?"

"He's pretty back Gideon, he's pretty hurt, pretty broken." I took a deep breath and placed my hands on my hips, more comfortable to hand my hand close to my gun in case I needed it. "He was attacked, assaulted, and raped."

"Who did that to him?" I looked up into the eyes of my former unit chief to the find them glazed with anger. I grabbed his arm.

"We don't know yet Gideon, that's probably why Hotch called you out of retirement." I started leading him to Reid's room. "We're two men short right now."

"What do you mean two?"

"Well, Reid and I are together now Gideon, and I'm not leaving this hospital until he does unless it is absolutely necessary." Gideon nodded and clapped my back.

"It is about damn time kid." I blushed and looked at the numbers on the room doors.

"He's in here. He doesn't know that you are coming, but try not to make any sudden movements or touch any part of his body too hard. There are very few places that aren't covered in wounds." Gideon nodded, and I pushed open the door. I pushed my way past Gideon and held my hand up for a moment.

"Derek!" Reid was sitting propped up against his pillows and holding a cup in his hand.

"Hey baby, I brought someone to see you." Reid nodded and seemed to shut down, I got a little worried but I slipped my hand into his and he gave mine a gentle squeeze.

"Okay, you can come in now." Jason walked in, his hand over his mouth and his brow furrowed. I could imagine that was what my face looked like the first time I saw Reid like he was.

All the walls seemed to fall from around Reid and he grinned. "Jason!"


	5. Let's Get You Out Of Here, Pretty Boy

Title: Stay with Me

Author: Ashley

Fandom: Criminal Minds

Rating: **T**

Ship: Reid/Morgan, Hotch/Prentiss

Summary: After Reid is assaulted, can Morgan help him put his life back together, or will this send Reid over the edge, for good?

Warning: Flashbacks to parts of the attack.

Chapter Summary:

Author's notes: Thank you to all of my reviewer's and peoples that alerted/favorite this story! It's a real joy writing for all of you!

_

* * *

_

_"Oh. My. God."_

_"What? What's wrong baby?"_

_"It's the same."_

_"What do you mean it's the same, I've never seen you wear jewelry at all…"_

_"Not the bracelet, the serial rapist. It just hit me. It's the same person that raped me in Quantico."_

_"Oh no…"_

_"He was interrupted with me, he's going to try again, that must be why he slammed my head against the wall before he ran… He was trying to kill me and he didn't get his chance, so the odds are pretty high th-"_

_"That he'll come back to try and kill you again…"_

_

* * *

_

"Hey there Reid, how are you feeling?" Jason sat down in the plastic by Reid's bed as I sat down on the edge of his bed.

"Shitty, scared. I don't know why this happened… What I could have done to attract a stalker." Reid sighed and his hand found mine.

"What do you mean a stalker Spencer?" I stared down at the young man in shock. He hadn't told me that part.

"When he was beating the crap out of me I tried to draw my gun, but he got it away from me and held me with it. He said 'did you really think you could shoot me Spencer?' I asked him how he knew my name and he said that he knew everything about me." Reid started playing with my bracelet. "How else could he have known my route home? He knew my name and everything."

"Oh shit… the guys pretty much had a profile when I stopped by the BAU before I got here, if this guy is a stalker then we will have to completely redo the entire profile. " Gideon tapped the side of his leg as he spoke. I was completely silent. As much time as I had spent with Spencer, as many times as we had gone out after work to a bar or club I just couldn't understand why I hadn't spotted a stalker. I was a FIB agent for Christ sakes. I didn't trust myself to speak, so when Spencer's doctor walked in I didn't even look up at her.

"Dr. Reid, how are you feeling?" Dr. Bayfield glanced down at her charts for a moment while she waited for Spencer to answer her.

"I'm not in much pain… I feel pretty good physically." Reid squeezed my hand tightly.

"When can I take him home?" I looked straight at Dr. Bayfield as she checked her charts again.

"Well, is he going to be staying with someone?

"Of course, he'll be staying with me. After what happened, the team and I are putting his under our protection." Spencer went red.

"I carry a gu…" His face went pale. "Where are my personal effects Doctor?"

"Well, there was nothing around you Dr. Reid, we think that your attacker took all of your things." Spencer groaned and looked from Gideon to me.

"He has my gun, badge, and credentials!" I groaned too and looked at the doctor.

"We have to get him out of here immediately, is there anyway he can be released tonight?" The doctor looked at me for a moment and then looked back at Spencer.

"Well, given the circumstances I'd say that woul be okay, as long as you promise to take it easy and take your pain medications-" Spencer looked frantic as soon as she had spoken.

"No! No narcotics! I'll be fine with Tylenol." I smiled sadly and gave Spencer's hand a gentle squeeze.

"Okay, if that's what you want. I'll go and draw up your release papers." Dr. Bayfield looked again at me. "You will be with him at all times won't you?"

"I'm not leaving his sisde unless I absolutely have to Doctor, and if I must, someone will be with him. We aren't taking any chances until this guy has been caught." I glanced down at Reid, who was cowering into my side. "I can't risk almost loosing him again," I muttered, not even sure if I had him at the moment anyways.

The doctor came back fairly quickly with Reid's release papers, and I watched Spencer sign them as Jason left to go and get my car closer to the entrance. I knew he would be following us and ost possibly staying with us through the night, to make sure that we weren't followed. According to what he had told Spencer, Hotch had asked him to come back to the Team until Spencer was fit for field work. It made sense, given the fact that we had agreed that until whoever had hurt him was caught, Spencer would have another Agent with him at all times.

"I'm ready to go Derek." I looked at Spencer, and a small smile ghosted my lips. He was still laying in the bed, with the papers on his lap.

"Well, shit. Let me go see if I can get you scrubs or something to wear home okay? I'll send Garcia or JJ over to your house to pick up some clothes later today okay?" Spencer nodded and I kissed his forehead and headed for the door. Just as I was about to reach for the doorknob a nurse walked in and handed me two folded articles of clothing.

"Doctor Bayfield said that Dr. Reid didn't have any personally effects, and I was pretty sure he wouldn't want to go home in that hospital gown." I smiled at the nurse and gratefully tok the clothes. "I'll just leave you to help him get dressed, do you want a wheelchair?"

I looked at Spencer, who shook his head slowly. "No, I think we will be okay." I glanced back at Spencer, who was moving slowly to bring his legs around to the edge of the bed. "Can you even stand up pretty boy?" Spencer glared at me.

"yes Derek I can stand up and I can walk." And just to prove his point he stood up of the side of the bed. I walked over to him and pulled him into my arms. It was the first time I had held him like this, and I loved the way our bodies fit together. Almost instinctually Spencer put his head gently onto my shoulder, and his arms slid around my waist. He fit in my arms perfectly, like he had been made to be there.

"Come on baby, let me help you get into these scrubs so we can get you home, and get you settled in bed." Spencer pulled away as I kissed his forehead. I reached around him and slowly pulled the strings that tied his hospital gown on. As soon as my fingers brushed his bare back he froze and started to breathe heavily. I closed my eyes tightly, feeling horrible.

"Baby boy, I have to help you into these clothes, and then I'm going to have to help you into your own clothes when we get you home." I touched his cheek gently with one hand, using my other hand to hold his hospital gown up. "I'm not going to hurt you, and when it comes time to put your pants on, I'll look away okay?"

"O-Okay," I felt anger bubble up inside of me at the broken sound that was back in Spencer's voce. I really hoped that Hotch held to his promise and gave me five minutes alone with the bastard that had hurt Spencer when they found him. I pushed the gown off Spencer's thin shoulders and gasped.

His entire torso was covered in bruises. Most in the shape of fist but some solid one's that looked at though they could have occurred by connecting solidly with a brick wall. I turned my head so Spencer wouldn't see the anger in my eyes. There was even a boot print on his stomach. I helped my boyfriend pull the shirt over head, then grabbed his pants, I held them open, and kept my head turn as I heard the gown fall to the floor and Spencer hurried to climb into the pants. I tied them at his waist so they fit his skinny frame. Once I was done, I pulled Reid back in for another hug, I tried to put a lot of unspoken things into the hug.

"I should have taken you home Spence. I'm so sorry." I kissed his cheek. "Then you wouldn't be here, and maybe we could have brought together in a slightly less violent way."

"the guy's a stalker Der, He would have gotten to me one way or another." I shook my head, still keeping my grip tight on Spencer. His arms wrapped around me comfortably.

"If I hadn't been so blind… If I had just let my feelings be what they were then you would have been safe with me Spence. This is my fault."

Spencer pulled away from me, and grabbed my shoulders, I kept my hands on his hips. "Stop beating yourself up over this Der. It would have happened, and nothing either of us did could have prevented it. We could have put it off, but he's a sociopathic stalker." I pressed a chaste kiss to Spencer's lips. "We never would have been able to stop it, and he would have spiraled out of control until it happened."

His head buried itself in my neck. He whispered against my hot skin, "And I can't stand the thought that other people would have been raped and possibly killed in my place." I nodded, tears in my eyes again.

"What the hell are you doing to me boy?" Spencer looked up in surprise and brushed a stray tear off my cheek. "I'm never this sensitive around other people, I never let any one see me cry."

"I don't know Der, maybe I just have this effect on people." I chuckled and kissed him softly again. I turned and wrapped an arm around his waist, blazing determination replacing the sad look on my face.

"Come on pretty boy, let's get you out of here."


	6. We'll Get Him

Title: Stay with Me

Author: Ashley

Fandom: Criminal Minds

Rating: **T**

Ship: Reid/Morgan, Hotch/Prentiss

Summary: After Reid is assaulted, can Morgan help him put his life back together, or will this send Reid over the edge, for good?

Warning: No warnings for this chapter!

Chapter Summary: I just realized I had no summary for last chapter, Sorry! No Reid or Morgan in this chapter unfortunately, Garcia, JJ, and Emily have a little chat, while Dave and Gideon try their best to assure Hotch that they'll catch Reid's attacker.

Author's notes: I want to say thank you to every one that has reviewed, I'm so glad that you are enjoying this story. Thank you to everyone that has alerted/favorite me or my story, It means a lot to me that you all have taken the time to read. I honestly didn't know if I would post this chapter. I got a nasty review and it stole my muse, I'm sorry it took so long to get this chapter up. Oh and I am really sorry for this short chapter! I promise things will get better soon.

"Garcia? What's wrong?" I looked at the usually optimistic and bubbly tech, and was shocked to see that she had a constant stream of tears running down her face. "Oh, come here!" I pulled my friend into my arms and sat down in the chair next to her.

"I'm not strong like you guy's" She muttered, clinging to me desperately. "It's so hard for me to be stuck here, trying to find something, anything that will tie Reid's attacker to him and I still can't find anything!"

"Garcie, there is nothing you can do right now. We have no evidence whatsoever, and we won't until the rape kit comes in." I shivered saying the word and sat back in my seat, letting Penelope wipe her face off.

"JJ?" I looked up at Emily as she walked into Penelope's bright little office. "The rape kit came in, and Morgan rushed Reid out of the hospital."

"What why?" The news came as a shock to me, Morgan had promised to call me if anything changed. As if on cue my phone vibrated at my hip.

"Jareau."

_"JJ, it's Morgan. Look I'm taking Spencer back to my place, he just told me and Gideon that the guy who attacked him was a stalker." _I could hear Derek taken a deep breath on the other end. _"He's sleeping right now. I'm trying to take a roundabout way to my place, so we left the hospital about twenty minutes ago. I don't want him anywhere where just anyone can get to him, at least at my place we can control who has access and who doesn't." _

"Morgan, be careful." I looked at Emily and nodded, she sat down on the edge of Penelope's desk. "I'm going to run this by Hotch, but is there a chance that this might be an attack on the team?"

"_I don't know, but I don't think any of us should be alone right now." _

"Well…" I paused a moment.

_"I'm going to talk to Hotch, I think we should all stick together and there is plenty of room at my place." _

"Alright, but please Derek take care of him and be careful!"

_"Don't worry Jen, I will." _A click told me that the line had been disconnected. I closed my phone and put it back in my pocket and looked at the girls.

"Apparently Reid's attacker was also a stalker." I shook my head tiredly as I ran my hand through my hair. "This is getting to just be too much to comprehend."

"I don't think any of us should be apart right now JJ." Emily put her hand on my shoulder, and I put mine on top of hers. "Our family needs to be together." I look up into her eyes, and I see the sadness that's there. Even though Emily is the newest member of our family, she was the most easily accepted, and the closest to Reid, besides Morgan of course.

She took care of him like a little brother, like nobody had ever taken care of him before. I pulled Emily down in a hug, because I hadn't thought about how much it would affect her. Before she even learned of Reid's past, she was there. She made sure he ate while we were on a case, and she had even taken case files from him in the past when she thought he needed to sleep. It took me another moment to realize she took care of everyone of us that way.

"How are you holding up Emily?" Garcia pulled me to the present and I let Emily go, so I could look at my two best friends in the whole world. Garcia was still crying, and Emily had this lost puppy look in her eyes that broke my heart in two.

"Reid's like my little brother… and I feel so bad about not being there to protect him, but I know Derek is feeling the same way, because he told me that he was… I have never felt so useless JJ."

"Emily…" I looked at Garcia for help, feeling useless myself.

"Emmy…" Garcia put her hand on top of mine, which was still on top of Emily's. "We are all going to get through this together. Every one of us will be okay, even Spency."

"I know, it's just hard." Garcia and I both hugged Emily and the three of us sat like that for a very long time.

POV Change

"Damn it." I stared up at Hotch from my seat.

"Calm down Aaron." There had been very few times in my life that I had seen Hotch totally lose it, and I had never been able to calm him down those times either.

"Jason, I can't!" I looked at Dave, who was sitting across the room from me. "I don't understand how I let a stalker get to Reid." I started slightly when Aaron's fist connected solidly with the wall, when he stalked away, I could see the knuckle imprints, and the blood stains.

"Okay, lose it then Aaron. You just promised to protect them, and you promised Derek that you would get the guy. Break another promise." I couldn't stop my jaw from dropping as I stared at Dave, antagonizing Aaron was no better than punching him in the. "Yup, just fall to pieces, maybe it wasn't just Reid, maybe this stalker is after all of us, and it will be Emily next, or Penelope." Dave stood up as Aaron turned toward him.

I heard something break as Aaron slammed Dave into the wall.

"I didn't break m promise!" Dave just smiled and placed his hand on Aaron's arm.

"Exactly. So calm down." Aaron stepped back, and let Dave off the wall. "You owe me a new phone by the way, asshole." Dave muttered, rubbing his neck.

"I was supposed to protect him."

"Dave's right Aaron, you couldn't have stopped this guy." I smiled as Aaron nodded and sat down across from me.

"We will catch this guy." I couldn't tell if Dave was trying to convince Aaron, or me or himself.

POV Change

"Alright baby girl, you three head on over here. I think Rossi and Hotch have made the same decision."

_"How's Spencer doing?" _I grinned softly at the concern in Garcia's voice, it was one of the things that made her, her.

"He's alright, asleep right now. I'm thinking about ordering pizza, but if everyone is heading over here I'm going to wait." I walked to my hallway closet to pull blankets down, to make up the guestrooms. "Hey, tell Emily that I'm not stupid and I don't have enough room's for everybody so she and Hotch are sharing." It was worth outing them, just to hear my best friend giggle.

_"She knew. Me and JJ want to share." _

"Alright baby, I'll see you guys shortly." I snapped my phone shut, and slipped it in my pocket as I made the beds up.

It was quiet, so when a scream tore through the air, I dropped everything and ran down the hall toward my bedroom. Spencer was tossing and turning in his sleep and I wrapped my arms around him tightly, ignoring the blows that connected with my skin.

"Baby, it's me, it's me, you're okay now, and I've got you." Spencer started sobbing, and I loosened my hold on him and let him cry into my chest, loosely running my fingers through his hair.


	7. Why'd I jump on you again?

Title: Stay with Me

Author: Ashley

Fandom: Criminal Minds

Rating: **T**

Ship: Reid/Morgan, Hotch/Prentiss

Summary: After Reid is assaulted, can Morgan help him put his life back together, or will this send Reid over the edge, for good?

Warning: No warnings for this chapter!

Chapter Summary: The team tries to unwind after the horrific events of the past two days.

Author's notes: I want to say thank you to every one that has reviewed, I'm so glad that you are enjoying this story. Thank you to everyone that has alerted/favorite me or my story, It means a lot to me that you all have taken the time to read. OH OH OH!!!! Has anyone ever noticed how nobody ever talks about the fact that Gideon has a SON? I was bored last night, and I have the first season on DVD, so I was watching it, and he has a son. I don't know if he is ever mentioned more than that once, but he does! Did anybody else know that, because I feel totally lost.

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* * *

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"If you say left, for me it will be left without any doubt...if you say right, for me it will be right without any conditions, no matter which side it is, the important thing is....trust."

(Be one of the first three to tell me what movie that quote is from and who said it and you win a one shot in the pairing of your choice. Review or PM for details or submissions Merry Christmas.)

* * *

"Pizza's here!" I shouted as I walked into Derek's living room, carrying six boxes of pepperoni pizza. Every one let out a sound of some sort of acceptance and I sat things out on Derek's coffee table: The Pizza, paper plates, paper cups, napkins and a two liter of soda and quickly got my food before Emily and Derek got to it.

Everyone but Reid flocked to the table to get food, and I smiled softly when I noticed two plates in Derek's hands. He retreated quickly, and handed both of the plates to Reid, who smiled up at him and nodded. I stood and put a movie in, grabbing two cups of soda and brining it over to them.

"Thanks Garcia," Reid settled into Derek's side as soon as the latter was situated on the couch.

"No problem wonder boy, how are you feeling?" I sat down on the floor, in front of Reid and crossed my legs with my plate in my lap. Derek nudged me playfully with his foot.

"So what are we watching Beautiful?" I shrugged, looking around the room. Hotch and Emily were sitting side by side on the couch by Reid and Derek, I smiled they looked at ease together, and Hotch was holding Emily's cup for her as she took a huge bite out of pizza. Dave and JJ were sitting together on the floor, talking animatedly about JJ going back to school to be an actual profiler.

Gideon was sitting in the recliner with his plate perched on his knee; he hadn't taken his eyes off Reid. I looked back at Derek, who was smiling and looking around the room at the same time I was. Our eyes met and we smiled widely. Derek broke the gaze and picked his pizza up, feeding it to Reid, who laughed hollowly.

"Rossi you bastard!" I jumped and looked over to see JJ jump on Rossi, and their empty cups fly toward me. I laughed, not exactly knowing what was going on. "Take it back!" Rossi shook his head and JJ put her hands on his shoulders.

"Jennifer, I am not fighting you," he said while chuckling.

"Man up Rossi!" Reid's words were a shook, and Rossi laughed, flipping JJ over and pinning her beneath him to please Reid, we all wanted him to enjoy himself and would do whatever it took to do that. Emily jumped out of her seat, all of us laughing now and rugby tackled Rossi from the side, knocking him off Jennifer, and then together JJ and Emily attacked him.

I got up on the couch, to avoid the mayhem. Rossi flipped Emily without breaking a sweat and next thing I knew Hotch was grabbing JJ from behind and dragging her down at the same time Rossi was dragging Emily back down.

"That's so cheap man!" And with that said Derek jumped up and grabbed Hotch and Rossi from behind, and I fell over laughing. The five of them continued wrestling for almost an hour, before Derek managed to pull JJ to her feet.

"Why the hell did I jump on you in the first place Dave?" Everyone stopped; they were all dishelved, covered in sweat and breathing heavily.

"Uh…?" The older profiler was at a loss for words and JJ flung herself into his arms and hugged him. Hotch Smiled, and pulled Emily flush against him by her hips and kissed her. I wrapped my hand around Reid's and everyone laughed. Gideon was laughing so hard he was holding his side, and I barely managed to scoot out of the way before Morgan flung himself down on the couch and Reid pulled his face up for a kiss.

I laughed again as I was forced to scoot really close to Derek and Reid so Hotch could sit down and pull Emily down on top of him and JJ sat down in between me and Hotch. "Oof! JJ! You are going to kill me girl!" Dave, in a strange mood that I had never seen before, sat down on top of JJ, and smiled.

"Gideon, take a picture!" I was squished between Reid, Derek, and Dave and JJ, so it was kind of hard to tell who to my right had spoken, but Gideon obliged and we all smiled.

I knew it would be a picture that we would all cherish for years to come.

POV Shift 

I glanced around at my team and smiled happily, I felt more complete then I had in years. I had forgotten how it felt to have a family, until they had come along. I chuckled contentedly and tightened my arm around Emily's shoulders, as we watched Derek tickling Penelope on the floor for not coming to his aid when David and I teamed up on him.

Reid had a somewhat peaceful look on his face, but I didn't ask him if he was okay. We had all come to an unspoken agreement before we left the BAU earlier that night that we would not bring the attack up tonight of all nights.

Penelope curled up on her side on the loveseat, and Derek finally sat back down, pulling a sleepy looking Spencer into his arms. Gideon looked like he was falling asleep sitting up with his glasses in his hand, and when I looked down, I realized that Emily was asleep too.

I met Derek's eyes and he nodded, putting a finger to his lips. I looked around, Penelope was asleep on the love seat, and JJ was asleep with her head on David's shoulder, and her hand on his chest; David looked close to sleep himself.

"Should we move them?" I whispered to David and Derek, but Derek shook his head and looked pointedly at Spencer, who was also fast asleep and looking peaceful. I nodded and stretched my legs out, settling down and pulling Emily closer to me, so that her head was settled more comfortably on my chest.

Derek pulled a lever on the side of the couch, and his legs rose up, and I realized it was a reclining couch. He pulled Spencer over closer to him, so that the younger man was nestled more comfortably against his side, and was laying on his side against Derek's. I pulled the lever on my side and crossed my ankles, allowing myself to relax.

David leaned his head back and pulled JJ against him, tightening his arms around her waist, and Gideon finally dropped his glasses and started snoring.

I waited until everyone was asleep and then I gently laid Emily down and climbed off the couch, going to Derek's hallway closet and grabbing several blankets. I put the first one over Penelope, and slipped the glasses off her face. I dropped the next one over JJ and David, I held two over my arm and I grabbed the one off the back of the couch and covered Spencer and Derek with it, tucking the edges around them. I noticed that while one arm was wrapped firmly around Spencer, Derek's other hand rested near his sidearm, so I didn't remove it. I moved Emily to our end of the couch and laid her out long ways so she was more comfortable and covered her with a blanket, planting a gentle kiss on the corner of her mouth.

I lifted the recliner lever for the chair that Jason was sleeping in and I covered him with the last blanket. I straightened myself out, taking my tie off, and rolling up my sleeves, I started to clean up from dinner, closing the pizza boxes and setting them on the counter, and putting the soda into the refrigerator.

I walked to the very back bedroom and let Morgan's dog out, and led him to the back door, keeping my hand on my gun the whole time. When he finished his business I grabbed him by his collar and kept him from bounding through the living room and led him back to his room.

When everything was finished I stood solemnly by the open back door, my arms crossed, and let the cool air flow over my body.

"It's pretty here isn't it?" I jumped and turned around to see Spencer standing behind me, pulling a rarely seen pack of cigarettes from his pocket.

"How does Derek feel about your smoking?" I stepped aside so Spencer could step out on the porch, and then I followed him outside, scanning the dark, unbuckled my holster and put my hand above my gun.

"I was quitting… but not after the other night." He sat down on the ground with his arms wrapped around his knees, and lit up.

"Not answering my question Spencer." He looked up at me and nodded.

"He doesn't like it, but he understands." I nodded and sat down beside my youngest team member.

"How are you really holding up Spencer? I want to hear from you."

"On one side I'm happy. I've been in love with Derek for years, on the other I just don't want to deal with this and I am hurting so bad." I nodded and my arms suddenly found their way around Spencer.

We sat like that for a long time, eventually watching the sun come up before we both stood and headed inside.


	8. You Aren't Breaking Up This Family

Title: Stay with Me

Author: Ashley

Fandom: Criminal Minds

Rating: T

Ship: Reid/Morgan, Hotch/Prentiss

Summary: After Reid is assaulted, can Morgan help him put his life back together, or will this send Reid over the edge, for good?

Warning: No warnings for this chapter!

Chapter Summary: Reid's first day back at work, Bitch of the universe makes her first (and oh God I wish I could say final) appearance in my story. I finally stopped with the filler fluff, and am moving on to real action.

Author's notes: So, I think I have bitten off a little bit more than I can chew. I have… Three requests that I am working on, (hopefully all three of those will be up soon) and this story, and one that's finished, but can't go up yet because it's the third in a series, and then the second one in the series I'm stuck on. I'm worn out, but I can promise you an update on this story by Sunday night. (It's already all planned out thank God.)

Four weeks later 

I was nervous as I walked into the bullpen, I didn't quite know why though. Maybe because it had been so long since I had been to work. Derek stood faithfully by me, his arm wrapped around my waist.

"Baby are you sure you want to do this now? It can always wait a little while longer, this is a lot to take-" I lifted my hand to press a finger to his lips.

"Derek, I am going stir crazy cooped up in the house with Clooney, and I think that if you have to go away on one more case, Garcia is going to kill me personally." I smiled a little bit at his deep chuckle. "Really, I'm fine Derek. I want to be back at work." I leaned smiled and twisted out of Derek's grasp, swatting him playfully on the chest.

"Love you." Derek headed toward his desk, and started working on case files.

"Love you too," I smiled at him, and headed toward Hotch's office to pick up my new credentials and side arm.

I knocked on the door frame and stepped inside his office. "Hey Reid, they are right there on the file cabinet." I nodded and grabbed them, fastening the new holster onto my hip.

"No new cases?" I sat down opposite from my superior as he poured over case files.

"Nothing JJ deems necessary for the BAU to handle, I think we'll be good for at least today." I nodded slightly.

"Do you think that Strauss is going to give me and Derek a hard time?" Hotch looked up at me like I had lost my mind.

"Not with me, Gideon, and Rossi behind you. I know that the two of you can handle the job professionally, just as Emily and I have done."

"Thank you."

"Anytime Reid." Standing up to leave I was quite shocked to see Emily standing in the door way.

"We're all going to the club tonight, to celebrate your first day back."

"Don't I get a say?" Emily shook her head and motioned for me to follow her.

"You're coming too right Hotch?" Hotch looked up at his girlfriend and heaved a huge sigh of agitation.

"If I must Emily." Emily smiled and clapped her hands. We walked out toward the bullpen, where JJ and Derek were talking about which club they wanted to go too.

"Is Rossi coming too?" JJ smiled as I walked over and pulled me into a hug.

"Yes he is, if I have to drag him. We're all going to meet outside the HotSpot at nine." I nodded and walked over to my desk. Everything quieted for a moment, and I started looking over the backlogged paper work in my inbox. JJ walked away, after telling Emily she was going to tell Rossi that he was going out with them.

"Who's crazy idea is this anyways?" Derek chuckled and balled up a sheet of paper, before lobbing it at Rossi's head as he walked into the bullpen, clearly agitated.

"Who's idea do you think it was, Rossi?" I was looking at Rossi like he was an idiot.

"Garcia," he groaned, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

The day went by slowly, numerous people stopped by to welcome me back. It was a very tedious day, for all of us, and some of us took to hiding in Penelope's office for thirty to forty minutes at a time, playing computer games with her.

It was thirty minutes to shift end when the day finally got interesting.

"Dr. Reid!" I looked up and winced as I saw Erin Strauss at the doors to the bullpen. I picked up a case file and buried my nose in it. Hotch was standing by Emily's desk, taking her completed case reports from her when he heard Strauss. He whistled loudly before coming to stand in front of my desk as Strauss headed toward me. Strauss hadn't even made it half way to my desk when Rossi and Gideon were standing shoulder to shoulder on either side of Hotch.

"Agent Hotchner, I assume you are aware of the intra team fraternization policy?" Hotch fixed her with his most rigid glare and nodded. His arms were crossed across his chest, Gideon was a mirror image, and Rossi had his hands on his hips underneath his suit jacket.

"I am." If looks could kill, then the look Strauss gave me most certainly would have sent me to the mortuary.

"I'm reassigning Dr. Reid, effective immediately." Gideon took a menacing step forward.

"I don't think so Strauss." I stood up, going to stand behind and between Rossi and Hotch's shoulders while Gideon defended me.

"Well I do think so." Strauss took a step back from Gideon.

"I don't think so. Reid is not going _anywhere._" Strauss drew herself up.

"Then Agent Morgan will be reassigned."

"Hey! I'm not goin' nowhere, and if you have somethin' to say, then I suggest you say it." Derek came through the bullpen from Penelope's office, his voice raised loud enough for Strauss to hear him clearly. I grabbed his arm as he walked by and pulled him behind Rossi and Hotch, knowing that if Strauss really pissed my boyfriend off, then Rossi, Hotch, and I would be able to hold him back.

"I don't have anything to say to you that can't go through your supervisor's first Agent."

"Reid and I aren't-" Rossi held a hand up, cutting Derek off.

"Morgan, shut up for a minute and let us handle this, all you are going to do is make the situation worse."

"Good advice Agent Morgan, you should take it." I grabbed Derek's arm at the same time Hotch threw his arm out, hitting Derek's chest as he pushed passed Rossi.

Our entire team was gathering by my desk now, brought in by Derek's raised voice. Penelope came to stand beside me, her hand on my arm. Emily stood on Derek's other side, slightly behind Rossi and grabbed Derek's other arm. JJ was the last to come in, and there was fire burning in her eyes that I had very rarely seen there.

"Excuse me, but I think I heard you wrong," JJ fumed, causing Strauss to stumble back. "But, just in case I wasn't let me clarify: You want to separate this team?"

"Yes," Strauss regained her composure quickly, "I do."

"Jennifer, don't-"

"Stuff it Rossi." JJ fixed him with the same glare she had just used on Strauss. Rossi shut his mouth quickly and smirked, waving his hand as if to tell her to go ahead. Turning back toward Strauss, she stepped in front of Hotch.

If I wasn't worried about loosing my job, or the love of my life, the sight of the petite blond standing in front of a well built SSA staring down Strauss down would have been hysterically funny. "You want to break up the most successful BAU in the country?"

"I-"

"No, this is my turn to speak, _Ma'am_," JJ crossed her arms in front of her chest. "We have the highest success rate in the country, and in case you don't know what that means, we have put away the most killers, rapists, and every other horrible thing you can be, in the entire country. And that success rate started a year after this team started working together."

"Agent Jareau, I don't think you are in a position,-" JJ's glare cut her off once again, and I pulled away from Derek and Penelope to jump forward and clamp my hand over her mouth before she could do more harm than good. I wrapped my arm around JJ's chest and kept my hand over her mouth.

"That's why you-" Derek moved behind me and covered Penelope's mouth with his hand before she could finish speaking, we could all see how pissed off she was, if the tears running off her face weren't already a good indication. I could hear the muffled word's 'fucking bitch,' coming from behind Derek's hand, but they were muffled enough by Morgan's hand that Strauss didn't hear.

Derek wrapped an arm around her much the same way I had grabbed JJ, before bending his head down and whispering in her ear, just loud enough that I could hear. "Baby Girl, think before you open that beautiful mouth of yours. Push her too much and we could all loose our jobs." Penelope nodded slowly and Derek uncovered her mouth and moved his arm. I had already dropped JJ, and Derek slowly laced our fingers together. I slipped my hand into JJ's and smiled softly as I saw that Derek had already grabbed Penelope's hand and was holding it tightly.

"Agent Jareau has a point, you break up this team, and you risk the success rate of this unit dropping. Each member of this team brings something essential to the success of this unit." Hotch finally spoke, his composure never wavering. "Our team is like a family-"

"And that is exactly why I think this team should be-"

Hotch dropped his arms from across his chest and rose his voice to speak over her, "And that gives us a capacity to work together like no other team before us, the closer we are, the more we can accomplish. It's easier to think as a unit when you as are close as we all are."

"Nobody in this unit thinks as an individual when we are out on in the field. That is what makes us successful." Gideon spoke for the first time, stepping forward to put a cautioning hand on Hotch's arm, we could all see the anger rising in his face.

"That still does not excuse the fact that a Bureau policy has been broken, and disciplinary action must be taken." Strauss looked exceptionally happy with herself as she finished her statement. Emily stepped forward and put her hands on her hips.

"Ma'am, I have avoided joining in this conversation, because I believed you would see reason and redeem yourself." Strauss opened her mouth to protest, but Emily held a hand up calmly. "I can see that is not going to happen. I know that I have no authority what so ever, but since you seem to have pissed off all three of my supervisors beyond words I think I speak for them." Taking a menacing step toward Strauss, Emily glanced back at me and smiled softly.

"If you continue to try and break up this team, the rest of the team and I _will _go over your head, and believe me, it won't be pretty." Emily straightened up to her full height and turned so she was facing me. Looking over her shoulder, she addressed the director again, "Now, until you have a _real _reason to break up the team you despise, we have work we have to do." Smiling, she grabbed my arm, and Derek's arm and dragged us back, away from the rest of the team, they got the message and followed, leaving Strauss standing there looking like she got punched in the face.

We waited until we got into the conference room to look at each other and laugh. I wrapped my arms around Emily and JJ at the same time, while Penelope laughed and pulled Rossi into a surprising hug. Once all the laughter had stopped, and everyone quieted down, I looked around the room, before wrapping my arms around everyone in turn.

The fact that everyone of them went up to bat for Derek and I showed how close we really were, not statistics, or facts. It was evident in everything we did.

"Thank you," I muttered, "For keeping this family together."

* * *

Okay, so sue me, I couldn't resist just a little bit of fluff.

Does every body seem pretty much in character? I mean, this is pretty much AU, so it doesn't bother me if they are a little bit off, but if they are like horribly off, please let me know.

(Oh, and take into account, that they are alot closer after Spencer's attack. And that as time goes on you will realize that if anybody outside of the team gets near Spencer he gets a little... Twitchy. He's only comfortable around the team, because they are the only people that never hurt him. Besides Gideon, but I'm not even gonna GO there.)


	9. Trouble At The HotSpot

Title: Stay with Me

Author: Ashley

Fandom: Criminal Minds

Rating: **T**

Ship: Reid/Morgan, Hotch/Prentiss

Summary: After Reid is assaulted, can Morgan help him put his life back together, or will this send Reid over the edge, for good?

Warning: No warnings for this chapter!

Chapter Summary: The team deal's with some unwanted attention at the club, and they prepare to take off for their first case. (In my story.)

Author's notes: I'm so sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up! I've been going through a lot… Between a concussion, my baby having an ear infection, my girlfriend is getting deployed in two weeks, and me getting ready to go through a round of AI to have another child, things have been crazy. Thanks as always to lonelygrl19 for her support through this fic.

Spencer was fidgety in the passenger seat, rolling and unrolling the hem of his dress shirt. I had managed to convince him wear jeans, and had only gotten him to agree to go when I promised I wouldn't leave his side the whole night.

"Baby, it's going to be okay." Spencer nodded absently. "Spencer, look at me." He looked up, and I could see the fear on his face, I knew it would be hard for him to be around so many people, but it would also be good for him to be around people other than the team. "We aren't going to let anything happen to you Baby boy you know that." Spencer smiled softly and laced his fingers through mine, kissing the back of my hand softly.

"This is the first time I've been out since I moved in with you." Spencer scoffed slightly, "Unless you count the times we've been out to dinner, but there wasn't so many people around then. I'm just really nervous about this."

"It's going to be fine baby," I repeated, pulling into a parking space. Garcia, Emily, Hotch, JJ, and Rossi were waiting for us at the entrance to the club already and I pressed a quick kiss to Spencer's cheek before we both got out of the car. "Just stay as close as you need to baby." Spencer nodded and I grabbed his hand and we headed toward the team.

"Hey lovebirds!" Garcia was bubbly as always, and when we reached them she wrapped Spencer in a tight hug. JJ and Emily hugged us both in turn, I took shook Hotch and Rossi's hands before we all walked in. The girls and Spencer left to find a table while me and the guys went to get the drinks. I didn't know what Spence would drink, so I ordered him a beer and a coke.

"So how's life at home?" JJ was asking Spencer when we got back to the table. I could tell he was nervous, because he kept wringing his hands and looking over his shoulder.

"Things are good, how about you?" I sat down next to him and put my hand protectively on his thigh. We all sat around and talked for a while, just enjoying being out and being together after our 'victory' with Strauss.

"Let's dance baby." Emily batted her eyes flirtatiously at Hotch as she asked, and he sighed, grabbing her hand and pulling her up out of her seat. I chuckled and pulled Spence up too, leading him up to the dance floor while Garcia and JJ pulled a very reluctant Rossi out of his seat as well.

"Come on, we'll all dance together." Spencer looked thankfully at Garcia, before grabbing her hand as well.

We glided onto the dance floor, Spence and I pairing up while Emily pulled Hotch close to her and we watched JJ grab Rossi's hand and pull him to her as well, Penelope easily found a partner; smiling easily at us.

I couldn't help but notice Spencer's discomfort, and I grabbed his hips lightly before pulling his back into my chest and moving my body in time with the music. It didn't surprise me that Spencer stiffened when I ground against him from behind.

"It's ok Pretty Boy, It's just me, no one is going to hurt you.... I won't let them. You've just got to trust me." I was glad when Spencer relaxed and started to move his hips back against mine.

I watched as the rest of the team let go and had a good time, Hotch and Emily were both smiling and slow dancing, even though the song was a fast one. Rossi was laughing and his arms were wrapped tightly around JJ's waist, JJ was leaning back into him her arms laying on top of his.

The song changed to a slow one and I watched as Penelope slowly twirled in the arms of her dance partner and moved to face him. I spun Spencer around in my arms so he was facing me and I kissed him slowly. When we broke apart I chance a look at our friends again when Spencer let his head rest on my chest. JJ had her head on Rossi's chest and that made me smile; it would be nice for the two of them to find each other after everything we had all been through. They were utterly perfect for each other, and it was quite obvious that JJ was in love with the older profiler. Emily had her arms around Hotch's neck and Hotch had his hands resting tenderly on her hips, whispering in her ear. Penelope looked over at me and winked.

Before we all knew it, we had been dancing for over an hour. The night was going by too fast, and we were all enjoying ourselves. I had noticed that Spencer was starting to seem tired, so I kissed him quickly on the cheek. None of the rest seemed to be tiring, but I whistled sharply, caching Penelope's attention.

"I have to use the facilities baby, why don't you go to the bar and get a drink of water, I can tell you need to sit down. I'll head over there as soon as I'm done okay?" Spencer nodded and kissed my lips quickly before making his way through the crazy dance floor.

"Keep an eye on him baby girl, I'll be right back." Garcia nodded and went back to dancing.

I made my way quickly to the restroom, and took my time using the bathroom and washing my hands. Finally, I dried my hands and walked back out into the pulsing lights and blaring music on the club. I could tell something was wrong when I realized that Spencer wasn't at the bar. I made my way over to Garcia, and grabbed her arm, pulling her away from her dance partner.

"Where's Spencer?" Garcia looked around quickly, and her face fell.

"He was over at the bar, I just looked over there not even a minute ago." My heart fell and I took off, scanning the small club, looking for my absentee lover. It didn't take long for us to establish he wasn't inside, and we all headed for the door.

I saw Spencer immediately, and anger surged up inside of me. A man with dark hair was pulling on Spencer's arm, and Spencer was obviously frightened.

"Yo! Get your hands off of him." The man looked up at Penelope.

"We were just talking miss, I'm sure you can appreciate that," Next thing I knew the man was pulling Spencer farther away from us, and Hotch had grabbed the back of my shirt.

"Let me go!" Spencer was struggling to get away from the man, his face covered in tears. I wrenched out of Hotch's grasp and ran toward my boyfriend, throwing my fist into the man's jaw.

I grabbed Spencer and shoved him behind me, throwing another punch toward the man. "Keep your grimy paws off my boyfriend!" The man made a move to punch me, and I swept my leg out, knocking his out from under him.

"David! Do something!" I could hear JJ cry out, but I didn't care, I just fell down on top of the man and continued to assault him, repeatedly punching him in the face. I could feel Hands on my back, trying to pry me off the smaller man, but I ignored them. Finally Rossi wrapped his arms around me and dragged me off the man.

"Derek! Knock it off! Reid needs you!" That calmed me, and I turned to my lover, slowly taking in his frightened appearance.

"Baby?" Spencer ran toward me and barreled into me. I wrapped my arms around him tightly, and ran my hands soothingly up and down his back. "It's okay baby, I've got you, I've got you." Spencer sobbed into my chest, and I held him closely.

When I finally did look up, the man was gone, and Rossi was sporting a bloody lip. I frowned, and raised an eyebrow, questioning him.

"He decked me as I helped him up and ran off." I glared and pulled Reid closer to me. "Don't worry about him, just get Reid home." I nodded and we all said our goodnights, the girls hugging Spencer and I extra tightly.

POV Change, Monday morning. 

I crossed my ankles and stared back at the Psychologist I had been ordered to see by Hotch.

"So Dr. Reid, I under stand the past few weeks have been very difficult for you."

"They have, I've never felt so helpless in all of my life." I sighed and folded my hands together, wishing that Derek could have come with me, but unfortunately he was working on a case, and I couldn't join them until my therapist cleared me for active field duty.

"Have you been having nightmares Dr. Reid?" I nodded, they had been lessening, but I still had them almost every other night. "How is Agent Morgan dealing with them?" I smiled softly, and ran a hand through my long hair.

"Very well, he's completely understanding and comforting. It's a relief to have him by my side." Dr. Andrews smiled.

"How have things been at home? At work?"

"Things have been great! Everyone at work has been amazing, we have always been a close unit and it seems that lately we have gotten closer than ever." Dr. Andrews nodded, and looked momentarily thoughtful.

"And why do you think that is?" I considered his question briefly.

"Because we all realized something that night."

"And what was that?" I smiled broadly, leaning forward slightly.

"We're more than a team, we're a family." Dr. Andrews laughed softly, and shook his head.

"That's always a good thing, to have family by your side." I smiled and nodded.

"Conference room in five, we got a case." I nodded and looked over at Derek, who just shrugged. The team was supposed to be on standby for two weeks, although I wasn't really complaining. I had missed working cases, almost as much as I had missed Derek when he was away working one.

We stood and headed toward the conference room, where Hotch and Gideon were already sitting, watching JJ pull pictures from the case file up on the screen. I was shocked at the pictures of men and women naked with their throats slashed.

"What the hell?" Derek muttered beside me, sitting down in a chair. There had to be at least thirty different victims up on our screen. Emily came in, and as soon as she took a look at the screen, choked on her coffee and sputtered desperately.

"What is this?" JJ shook her head, hitting a button on the remote control in her hand.

"Forty five victims, nine different states. All over nine years." JJ sighed and sat down directly across from Emily, whose mouth was hanging open, running her hand through her hair.

"Why are we just now being called in?!" Rossi was pissed, his knuckles white as he gripped the edge of the table.

JJ sighed and shook her head. "Every victim was murdered in a different city, I'm worrying that we may have to split the team up for this one." I shook my head quickly, looking at Derek in a panic.

"No, I don't think so. We go to the state where the latest bodies have been discovered, and then we do a geographical profile with the cases from the other states." Hotch looked in my direction as he spoke, and I saw him catch Derek's eye's and nod.

"We're all going out on this one together, and it looks like the majority of, and the most recent, the murders are in Michigan." Hotch nodded solemnly, and stood up. "Go home, pack a bag, looks like we'll be gone for a while, JJ, go get Garcia and tell her she's coming with us on this one. We're going to need everything, Rossi help Garcia pack up her equipment and put it in her car, and send her to pack. Meet at the airstrip in forty five minute, wheel's up in one hour." We all agreed and separated to go home and collect our things.

The ride home was silent, my hand wrapped tightly around Derek's. I couldn't explain it, but something didn't feel right to me about this case. I pushed it to the back of my mind, I needed to be completely clear headed on this case.


	10. Idiot

Title: Stay with Me

Author: Ashley

Fandom: Criminal Minds

Rating: T

Ship: Reid/Morgan, Hotch/Prentiss, eventual Rossi/JJ

Summary: After Reid is assaulted, can Morgan help him put his life back together, or will this send Reid over the edge, for good?

Warning: No warnings for this chapter!

Chapter Summary: Team discuss their new case, Hotch pisses Emily off and he feels like a failure, the team witnesses one of Spencer's nightmares first hand.

Author's notes: Sorry about the wait guys!!! I think I might be about to start a short-ish story, Criminal Minds of course, but I'm not entirely sure!! Please let me know what you think! Review's are much loved, and constructive criticism is much appreciated. Also, I know it's shorter than usual, but I have some pretty good stuff coming up soon!!! Next chapter: The beginning of the actual case.

* * *

Garcia sat down next to Spencer on the plane, and smiled at me. Spencer was acting strange, withdrawn and quiet. I could tell that he thought something was up with this case, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

"Spence, you okay?" JJ speaking shook me out of my silent contemplations, and I looked over at my boyfriend. Spencer look up and met JJ's eyes, nodding quickly.

"Something is wrong angel." Garcia added, putting her hand on top of Spencer's. I nodded my agreement, although none of them were looking at me.

Gideon looked up from the case file he was reviewing, and pulled his glasses off his face, looking at Rossi purposefully. "What's going on in that head of your's Reid?" Spencer looked at me, his eyes silently begging me for help.

"It's nothing Gideon, I promise." Gideon stood up, leaning against the wood table that we usually played cards on. Garcia leaned back against the seat, and closed her eyes. I briefly wondered how much sleep she was getting, before turning my attention back toward Spencer.

"Spencer, you aren't a very good liar kiddo." Spencer hung his head slightly, and folded his hands together on his lap. I closed my eyes tightly as the plane took off.

"There's something about this case, it just seems so familiar, and I just can't put my finger on it." Spencer heaved a huge sigh, and JJ's hand found the small of his back, rubbing soothing circles. I was startled when he didn't jump, or flinch away from the sudden contact, but then again, JJ will always be JJ and Spencer loved her like a sister. JJ and I were the only people that could really touch Spencer in the week following his attack, he'd allow Garcia and Emily to hug him and possibly allow Hotch, Gideon, and Rossi the chance to pat his shoulder or shake his hand, but he still wouldn't let any man besides me touch him without freaking out. "It's quite… Irritating. I don't like feeling like there is something I don't know." Emily chuckled lightly, and caused Spencer too look across the table at her, and looked next to me in surprise.

"Now you know how the rest of us feel, when you start on Reid." Reid got this scandalized look on his face, and he and the girls started arguing playfully. I could tell the Emily had just been trying to distract him, and I appreciated it.

"Morgan, can I talk to you for a second?" I nodded, and playfully pushed Emily on my way past her.

"What's up Hotch?" Hotch ignored me and busied himself making a cup of coffee. He looked at me, and handed me the first cup.

"After you and Reid left, JJ finished briefing us on this case." I cocked my eyebrow, and looked back over my shoulder.

"Why'd you have to wait until we left, Hotch?" I was starting to get irritated by the secrecy. I could understand the certain level of protectiveness toward Spencer, but they were keeping things from us, and him. That wasn't how our team worked.

"I'm not keeping things from either of you." The corner of my mouth quirked up, leave it to Hotch to be a mind reader. "I just wanted to talk to you about this before we did the on flight briefing… I need to know how you want to handle this."

"Spencer's right, isn't he? There's something about this case that gets under everyone's skin isn't there?" Hotch nodded and took a long sip of coffee.

"All the victims were brutally beaten and raped before they were murdered." I ran a hand over my face.

"So, he was right?" Hotch nodded slowly, crossing his arms. "What a stupid question, Spencer is always right."

"What do you want to do with this information, do you want to tell him or not?"

"Of course I want to tell him, I can't keep this from him." Hotch nodded and he and I both grabbed another cup of coffee. I grabbed Spencer's coffee and I walked back to the table.

"Hey," Spencer looked up at me and smiled, taking the offered coffee out of my hand. I sat down in the seat next to Spencer, forcing Garcia to squish against the fake wooden wall of the jet. "Okay, what aren't you telling me?" I sighed and rubbed my forehead. Spencer was too damn perceptible for his own good.

"Hotch just finished briefing me on the rest of the case?" Spencer's eyes widened, but he nodded. "All of the victims were brutally raped and beaten before their throat's were slashed, Spence."

Spencer went quiet, and suddenly shoved me out of my seat with a sudden burst of strength. Before any of us could stop him, he had shut himself in the bathroom and locked the door. We could all hear the sobs, but he wouldn't speak to any of us.

"Spencer, come out! Please!" I motioned everyone else away and slid down onto the floor, crossing my legs and resting my back against the cold metal.

"Go away Derek." I sighed and closed my eyes, mentally cursing Hotch and his stupidity.

"I am not going away Spencer, so why don't you just come out now, and save me the trouble of sitting on the floor for the next two hours, Baby?" I heard the lock click, and I scrambled to get up, pulling Spencer into my arms as soon as he was out the door. His arms went around me quickly, and he leaned all his weight into me, breathing heavily. I sent Hotch a death glare, and led Spencer over to the couch.

Spencer burrowed his face into my neck, and clung to me, holding on for dear life.

POV Change 

I stood in the kitchenette, looking over at my team. I couldn't understand how everything had gotten so out of control so quickly. I was supposed to take care of them, protect them at all costs and all that happened was they kept getting hurt.

JJ was asleep, and her head was resting on Reid's thigh, who was still curled up in Morgan's arms. Morgan had his head leaned back against the seat and his head phones were covering his ears, his eyes were closed, although I couldn't tell if he was awake or asleep. Garcia had her head resting on Emily's shoulder, and Emily had fallen asleep with her head on top of Garcia's. Jason had his head phones in, and he was flipping lazily through one of the numerous case files we had brought with us. Dave was sleeping at the opposite foot of the couch from Derek, and his hand was resting near JJ's hand, like they had fallen asleep holding hands.

I had suggested that they all try and get some sleep before we landed, as we were planning on hitting the ground running, every one had agreed quickly, retreating into themselves and each other. I couldn't stop the feeling's of uselessness that bubbled up inside of me, and I quickly turned away from my team. Leaning my head against a faux wooden wall, I jumped slightly as arms wrapped around me.

"What's wrong, Aaron?" I allowed myself to lean back into Emily's arms, trying to stop castigating myself.

"I can't help but feeling like I've failed the team. Everyone keeps getting hurt with my decisions, and nothing I do is going to change that." Emily pulled away from me and I turned around to face her.

"You're an idiot Aaron." I chuckled bitterly.

"Don't need you to tell me that, Em, I know." Emily huffed and threw her hands up in the air, storming back to her seat.

I winced as soft whimpers reached my ears, searching quickly I saw Reid moving around fitfully, and his face was scrunched up in pain. Morgan was instantly awake, and was holding Reid tightly, almost as if restraining him. JJ and Rossi woke up at the same time Garcia's eyes opened. "Move guys!" Morgan whispered.

"Baby! It's me! Calm down!" After a moment, Reid's eyes shot open, and he struggled to get away from Morgan, kicking his legs out, trying as hard as he could to get away from his lover.

"HELP!! MORGAN!" Morgan wrapped his arm's even tighter around Reid. I winced again as a fist connected with Morgan's jaw. Rossi quickly grabbed Reid's flailing hands, and I watched as JJ and Emily each threw themselves on his legs. Gideon, looked torn, and I could understand the feeling; he wanted to comfort Reid, but he didn't want to make it worse.

"Angel! It's just us, I need you to calm down!" Garcia placed her hands on either side of his face and held his head straight, forcing him to focus.

"Penny?" Garcia smiled, and nodded. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and slowly backed away. Morgan pulled Reid into his arms and held him tightly, kissing his cheek and whispering 'I love you' over and over again to the young doctor.


	11. The First Innocent

Title: Stay with Me

Author: Ashley

Fandom: Criminal Minds

Rating: **T**

Ship: Reid/Morgan, Hotch/Prentiss, eventual Rossi/JJ

Summary: After Reid is assaulted, can Morgan help him put his life back together, or will this send Reid over the edge, for good?

Warning: No warnings for this chapter!

Chapter Summary: The case begins, and Emily reveals some news that could have a negative effect on the case, the team, and Emily and Hotch's relationship.

Author's notes: And so the drama begins! Yay me! I did start a new story, it's called Not Really Gone, so go check it out if you've got a free minute. Also, for anyone that is interested, Alpha Male's final chapters are up and ready to go, I'm so sorry that it took so long for me to update, I am going through a really rough time right now. So yeah… Please, Reviews are love and they feed my muse. If as many people reviewed as faved or alerted, I would have like a bajillion reviews! I appreciate both very much! Gets a little confusing toward the end, but please bear with me, and feel free to ask any questions.

Derek held my hand tightly as we headed off the plane. I yawned, and covered my mouth with my one free hand. The local LEO's were gathered on the tarmac, JJ and Hotch quickly shook all their hands.

"I'm Detective Alex Burkes," The oldest man, standing at the front of the small group of four, introduced himself as he shook Hotch's hand.

"I'm SSA Aaron Hotchner, these are Agent's Jareau and Garcia, these are SSA's Morgan, Rossi, Gideon, Prentiss, and this is Dr. Reid." Hotch replied, pointing to us all in turn. JJ came to stand beside me. "We'd like to head to the station right away, if that's not any trouble."

"No trouble at all. We can split up into separate vehicles, and I think that your SUV's are waiting for you at the hotel." Hotch nodded and turned to us, doing a brief head count.

"Okay, here's what we are going to do. It's getting late, so Rossi and Prentiss, you're with me. We'll go with Detective Burkes straight to the station, JJ, you and Gideon need to go talk with the family of the latest victim. Morgan, you, Reid, and Garcia go to the hotel and get us all checked in and pick up our room keys and two of the SUV's and we'll all meet up at the station in two hours, Okay?"

Everyone agreed and we quickly split up, me, Derek, and Garcia taking everyone's bags and heading off toward the hotel.

POV CHANGE

"What do you mean there is only ONE room available?" I swore under my breath and glanced over my shoulder at Spencer and Garcia, who were standing a little ways away from me. "We clearly said over the phone that we needed at _least _three rooms!"

"I'm sorry sir, there is only one room available! It has two beds, a couch, a recliner, and another pull out couch in it. I even checked at other hotels in the area, there were no other vacancy's anywhere in town." She held out eight key cards and I grabbed them from her with little grace. "I'm sorry sir, it's the best I can do. If another room becomes available during your say, your team will have first options"

"Come on guys."

We walked to the elevator in silence, and then up to the room. "So I guess we gotta figure out where everybody is sleeping." Spencer muttered beside me, as we were walking to the room.

When we got to the room, I pushed one of the keys in, and opened the door, allowing the detective with us who was pushing a cart with all of our bags on it, to go in first. It was a nice hotel room, with a kitchen and living room. The two couches and recliner were in the living room, along with a small table in between the kitchen and living room. There was a decent sized TV up against the wall, and a small coffee table.

I glanced in the bedroom, and saw that there were two queen sized beds, a night stand, a closet, two dressers and another TV. "Okay, how the hell do we do this?" I groaned and sat down on the edge of one of the beds. Garcia came in with two bags I recognized one as Emily's.

"Easily, my Vision. Emily and Hotch can sleep in here on one of the beds, along with you two little love birds." I nodded, it made sense. She threw me the two bags and I stood and put them on the other bed. Spencer walked out of the room and then came back in quickly carrying both of our bags, and set them down on the bed I had recently vacated. "See, easy."

"Well, now we need to figure out what we do with you and JJ, Rossi, and Gideon. There are only three other places to sleep Garcia." Garcia smiled and grabbed Spencer's hand and pulled him into the other room. I followed them with a chuckle.

"This is where my match maker side comes in." Garcia walked over to the pull out couch and grabbed the cushions off it and set them neatly beside the couch. She pulled the couch out, and quickly walked over to the closest near the bathroom and looked for pillows and sheets. Smiling, she pulled them down off the top shelf, and I watched as she and Spencer made the bed.

She walked over to the trolley and grabbed JJ and Rossi's bags and set them at the foot of the couch/bed, obviously pleased with herself. She grabbed two of her bags, and produced a heavy blanket and pillow from one of them and made up the couch.

"Do you think Gideon will mind having the recliner? I don't mind sleeping on the chair…" Garcia bit her bottom lip after she had made up the couch, and looked over at me. I had collapsed onto said recliner and pulled Spencer down onto my lap.

"I'm sure he wont mind Garcia, and if he does we'll figure something out. Shit, I'll sleep in the car if I have to." I muttered, squeezing Spencer briefly around the waist. I glanced at my watch, and sighed, patting Spencer's thigh, to get him up. "We've got to meet the team soon." I grabbed two sets of keys off the counter and threw one at Garcia.

As we were headed out, my phone rang and I grabbed it. "Morgan… What the hell?…What's the address, Rossi? We'll meet you there." I closed my phone, fuming. I glared at the wall and pulled Spencer close to me. "This asshole is getting bolder and bolder."

"What's wrong handsome?" Garcia asked me quietly, moving to stand beside Spencer. I barely heard her speak, as I was lost in my own little world. I glared at the wall for a moment without speaking, wanting desperately to be away from this place.

"Derek?" Spencer's soft spoken word brought me out of my revere, and I snapped my head back to look at the other two people in the room.

"There's been another murder, two blocks from here," my protective side kicking in, I grabbed Spencer's waist and pulled him close to me. "Garcia, I think you and Spencer should stay here." Spencer opened his mouth to protest but I pointed to the large file box that was sitting in the corner of the room, "You can go over the case files, and then you can come into the field with us tomorrow. This is a fresh crime scene, and you would have trouble with this one as it is."

"I'm coming with you." I glared at Garcia, silently begging her for her help.

"I was thinking I could set up here, would be more efficient anyways. I really don't want to stay alone Spency, please stay with me." Spencer glared at me, and then flopped back down in the chair.

"Thank you Spence, if I am worrying about you being exposed, then I wont be able to keep my head in the game."

"I hate it when you make sense like that." Spencer looked up at me with those big doe eyes, and my heart melted. "I love you." I knew that I was making the right decision in asking him to stay behind.

"I love you too Spencer, take care of each other for me, and I should be back with the rest of the team soon. I'll convince Hotch to stop so we can grab some food, instead of going out tonight."

"That was so cheating by the way, getting Garcia to help you gang up on me," Spencer whispered in my ear as I pulled him in for a tight hug. I grinned and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.

"I'm sure you will think of a fitting punishment for me, be safe hon." Spencer's face fell and I kissed him again.

"Come back to me in one piece Derek." I smiled and nodded, heading out the door.

POV CHANGE 

"This guy is getting bold, it's the middle of the afternoon, anyone could have walked down this alley." Emily muttered, her eyes surveying the scene.

"I feel like I've been here before." JJ pointed out, moving to stand closer to Emily.

"It does feel that way doesn't it? We'll get if figured out guys, lets just get started so we can head back to the hotel." Hotch said calmly, moving closer to the body. Gideon and I shared a look, and I could tell that he was feeling pretty close to the same way I was. This scene was too familiar for comfort.

Gideon and I took our time moving closer to where the rest of the team was standing, "Do you get the feeling that this guy is going for overkill?" Gideon asked me, crossing his arms.

"Yeah, it's like he's trying to make a point, and it's almost like he's flaunting that fact that he hasn't been caught in our faces. Almost like he knows we're here. -"

"Guys! Get over here!" Morgan came jogging up beside us just as Emily called out.

"Where's Reid?" Gideon asked, as we finally made it to the group.

"At the hotel, with Garcia. Get this guys, we have to share a room." JJ groaned. "So what do we got?" Morgan had spotted the white paper in Emily's hands just before I had.

"White male, late twenties, he's been beaten, and brutally raped." Emily paused for a moment. "ME couldn't determine cause of death just yet, and Hotch asked her not to move the body until we took a look."

"His throats been slashed, fit's our MO, why couldn't the ME determine cause of death? It looks pretty obvious to me." Gideon pointed out.

Hotch pulled his gloves on and gently turned the victims head. "His heads been bashed in as well, so she's not entirely sure which event caused death."

"So what do you have Emmy?" Derek asked, pulling gloves on and crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"This was under the body," Emily handed the bloodstained paper to Hotch, who read it quickly and then passed it to me. I noticed how his face fell, and he pressed his lips together angrily.

"'Try as you might Agent's, you won't catch me. You might as well give it up now. For every day you stay chasing me another innocent will die. The men and women I have killed before were bad people, and they deserved everything that they got. This man was innocent, he just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. If you don't give up soon, I will target one of your agents next. Ta for now - A.N'" I glared at the paper in my hand. "A.N.? Who the fuck is AN?"

"Another innocent?" JJ whispered, and my heart very nearly broke in two as I thought of our Unsub targeting the woman that had stolen my heart. I locked eyes with Aaron, and could tell that he was feeling the same way. His body had unconsciously shifted closer to Emily's, and he had tensed up.

I moved closer to JJ, and wanted nothing more than to get my team the hell away from that alley way.

POV CHANGE 

I had to shake away the feeling of over protectiveness, or I knew I wouldn't be able to focus on the case if I was concerned only with getting Emily as far away from Michigan as possible. I tore my eyes away from Dave's frantic ones and looked at Morgan, the young man looked as if he was going to self destruct at any moment.

"Morgan, call Garcia and tell her to run all the victims names and tell me what comes up. Tell her I don't care how long it takes, or how deep she has to dig. I want to know what made these people targets for this guy." Emily came over to stand by me, silently offering her support. I realized that she was quite possibly as worried about me as I was about her.

"Hotch, it could take Garcia months to go through all those names," JJ pointed out. I nodded grimly.

"Well you are doing that, JJ I want you to call Reid and tell him he's on backgrounds with Garcia. I don't know that I want him in the field for this one."

"He's not going to like that," Morgan muttered, already dialing Garcia's number.

"That's why I want JJ to tell him, and not you. We don't need to cause any tension among the team right now, not if one of us is going to be targeted." Every one nodded, but I didn't miss the frantic looks JJ kept throwing at Dave.

POV CHANGE 

I knew Hotch had seen my looks that I kept shooting Rossi. I didn't much care, this UNSUB targeted men and female victims, what if he got to Dave? I hadn't even told the man how I felt yet.

I couldn't even to begin to imagine what would happen if I lost him. Derek had almost lost Spencer not too long ago! What would happen if this crazed unsub targeted Spence?

My head wouldn't stop spinning, and I felt myself getting lightheaded and dizzy. I knew I was going to hit the ground, so I closed my eyes tightly, just as a pair of strong arms wrapped around my waist.

"Careful Tesora, take deep breaths." I could feel Dave lean back, and I just let my body lean against his, and started taking deep, calming breaths.

How the hell did we get roped into this nightmare?

POV CHANGE 

I glanced over and JJ and Rossi standing against an alley wall, and clapped my hands together softly, just to get Hotch's attention. Poor JJ looked like she was going to fall to pieces, and God knows I had always looked at that young woman as though she was my daughter.

"We have to get the team out of this alley way, go back to the hotel for tonight. You and Emily need some time to talk about how you are going to handle this case, if one of you needs to be removed and so on. JJ and Rossi look like they need some time too, before Rossi self destructs and JJ passes out." Morgan was pacing back and fourth, trying to find some little detail that we had missed, even though besides the note there was nothing at all. "Morgan! Call Reid, read the note to him, and tell him to remember every single word in that note." Morgan nodded and walked toward the SUV, pulling his phone out as he went.

"I guess you're right Jason, I have no clue what this is going to do to the team, but I think that we should discuss the case, and everything else back in the safety of the hotel."

POV CHANGE

I climbed into the back seat of the SUV right next to Aaron and followed by Rossi, who in a fit of gallantry had insisted that JJ sit in the front seat, in between Morgan and Gideon.

When I first joined the BAU I didn't care for any of the people there. Not Hotch, not Gideon, not Reid, not JJ, not Garcia, and not Morgan. I told myself that I was just an unwelcome member in their 'family' but that never fazed me, I was there to do my job and nothing more.

It changed on my second month at the BAU, after a particularly nasty case JJ asked me to go out for drinks with the team, I had nothing better to do so I went. I began to realize just how close the people that I was determined to hate were, and how well Hotch led them.

When Strauss asked me to be her mole, and try and help her get Hotch fired I realized how much I loved him. I couldn't do that to the people that had become my family, or the man I was slowly falling love with. I wasn't expecting it to hurt so bad when I walked away from the BAU or when we all realized that Gideon was gone for good.

Four years later, and I still couldn't wrap my head around how much my life had changed. I had a family that I would do anything for, for the first time in my life.

I felt Aaron wrap his arm around my shoulders, and pull me closer to him. A sure sign that the work day was over, and I leaned against him happily.

I finally had a family, and was scared to death that I was going to lose a member of my family to a psychotic killer. I pressed my hands gingerly on my stomach and looked at Aaron. "Aaron?" Aaron looked at me, and put his hand gently on my cheek.

"I'm pregnant," I brethed out, closing my eyes and waiting for the fallout.


	12. Say You'll Be Mine

Title: Stay with Me

Author: Ashley

Fandom: Criminal Minds

Rating: **T**

Ship: Reid/Morgan, Hotch/Prentiss, Rossi/JJ

Summary: After Reid is assaulted, can Morgan help him put his life back together, or will this send Reid over the edge, for good?

Warning: No warnings for this chapter!

Chapter Summary: The fallout and teams reactions from Emily's news, Rossi and JJ share a sweet moment.

Author's notes: Sorry for the delay… Pregnancy does not deal well with me L But! Fear not, I shall try and have another chapter up before too long. (I know I say that all the time, but I really mean it this time.) I hope I still have some readers left, please drop me a line and let me know what you think, if you even want me to continue. Next chapter I am going to deal with the teams feelings to the threat our unsub placed on the team.

"W-what did you just say?" Aaron dropped his hand quickly, and his mouth fell open with an almost audible pop.

I glanced around, daring anyone to speak. "I said I'm pregnant Aaron."

"When were you going to tell me?!" He shouted, and I glared at him.

"Lower your voice, we are in a confined space." I sighed and folded my hands over my stomach. "I was going to t ell you after this case was over with, but you need to know now." Aaron ran a hand over his face and glared at the rest of the team.

"No, this is something I needed to know about as soon as you found out! This is my baby too!" Aaron narrowed his eyes. "Unless you weren't going to tell me because this isn't my baby," he spat out bitterly. Morgan cleared his throat loudly.

"We're here! Here's you guy's room keys, room number is 118, just come up there when you're ready." I nodded and we all climbed out of the SUV so Morgan could lock it, and they headed up to the room. I rounded back on Aaron.

"You jackass. How dare you suggest that I cheated on you? You fucking bastard!" My palm connected with his cheek before I knew what I was doing. "Get the hell away from me Aaron, I cant even look at you right now."

"You know, for one of the best profilers in the country, you are really damned blind sometimes, Prentiss." My lover bit out behind my turned back.

"That doesn't explain why you are still standing there." I spat right back at him. "You go and accuse me of cheating on you, deny YOUR child, and now you insult me? What kind of shit is that?"

"I'm not insulting you, damn it!"

"Then what were you implying, Aaron? Its pretty obvious that you don't want apart in this baby's life, so why should I keep trying?"

"I was implying that you can be really blind to the things that are right in front of you, Prentiss. "

"Still doesn't explain why you are still standing in front of me, I have absolutely no problem whatsoever in pulling my gun and shooting you right here and right now, and I am sure that Rossi and Morgan wouldn't mind helping me cover it up. In fact I KNOW Garcia wouldn't mind. We'll blame it on the hormones." I hissed angrily, my hands on my hips.

"Because I love you! I'm standing here because I love you!" Aaron took a deep breath and a tentative step toward me. "Is it so hard to believe that?"

It was the first time in our seven month long relationship that he had ever said the words. "I love you too Aaron, but you have made it clear you don't want this-" Aaron cut me off by grabbing my arm and pressing his lips against mine.

"Shut up," I wrapped my arms around him, and pressed my face into his broad chest. "I love you, Emily."

"I can definitely get used to hearing that." Aaron chuckled against my head. I pulled away and looked up into his dark eyes, eyes I desperately hoped that our child would have. His hands brushed down my back, and then around to my stomach. His long fingers were gentle as they caressed my still flat stomach through the cotton of my blouse.

"We're having a baby." He whispered in awe. I nodded happily and pressed my hands against his.

"We're having a baby," I nodded.

POV Change (Garcia) 

I wrung my hands together nervously as I paced the room waiting for two of my favorite super heroes turned lovebirds to come up to the room.

"So she definitely said she was pregnant?" I asked for maybe the millionth time.

"For the millionth time baby girl, she most definitely told Hotch that she was pregnant." I squealed again, and shot another nervous look at the door.

"My little Emily is going to be a little momma!" I cooed. I couldn't believe that Emily was going to be a mom.

"I don't think she's going to be in the 'happy' mood when she comes up here," Rossi muttered, snatching my little gumdrop's drink out of her hand and taking a sip.

"Oh? And why would that be super agent?"

"Lets just say that our Boss wasn't exactly receptive of the idea that Emily was pregnant." Gideon pointed out, tapping his pen against his paper, obviously agitated.

"What did he say to my buttercup?!" I screeched, heading for the door, intent on ripping my unit chief a new one.

"Garcie, chill out!" JJ said, Derek coming over to me and grabbing my arm. "She'll handle Hotch, you aren't going to make anything better by rushing out there and trying to save her." JJ finished, standing up from her spot on her bed. I spun back around as we all heard a key card in the door.

"Sorry guys," I heard Emily call out before I saw her. "We had a minor disagreement downstairs."

"Emily Prentiss, do I need to kick someone's firm little tushy?" I shouted from Derek's arms. I heard her deep giggle, and smiled.

"No, but I guess it's only fair to tell you now, since you obviously know that I'm pregnant that it won't be Prentiss much longer." Finally Emily and Hotch came into view and I yanked away from Derek and pulled Emily into a tight hug.

"A wedding and a baby all in the same year?!" I asked excitedly, squeezing my little mama close.

"Yes Garcie, now can I please breathe? Please?!" The last word came out as a gasp, and I released her with a sheepish look on my face.

"Sorry," I muttered, feeling my cheeks reddening, and instead I pulled our stoic unit chief into a tight hug. To everyone's surprise, but mine and Emily's, Hotch returned my exuberant hug. "Excited about being a papa?" I whispered, loud enough for only him and Emily to hear.

"Ecstatic, but scared." I smiled broadly.

"You'll do fine, boss man!" I assured him as I pulled away.

"Please tell me that you all stopped for food on the way here," Reid's voice broke through the silence and we all broke into laughter the horror of our new case all but forgotten and for a moment we were nothing but a happy family.

POC Change, later that night. 

I was always a light sleeper, so Reid's whimper's from the other room pulled me from my deep sleep and the hand I had under my pillow wrapped around the cool metal of my sidearm, which I had placed there shortly before going to sleep. It wasn't a habit I generally practiced, but with a threat on the team I was determined to take all necessary precautions.

As soon as I had assured myself that it was just Reid, and that Morgan was already taking care of him I became conscious of a warm weight on my chest. I smiled as I looked down at the sleeping mass that was Jennifer Jareau. I was man enough to admit that the tiny woman had stolen my heart the moment I had started at the BAU. We had become close in the previous months, becoming best friends, and more recently tip toeing around a real relationship. I knew that Jennifer felt the same way I did, it was evident in the way she looked at me when he thought I wasn't paying attention, and the way that we gravitated to each other no matter where we were, and being around Jennifer gave me a comfort that I hadn't felt since I was married to my first wife, although it was multiplied almost a hundred times with Jen.

Jennifer's face suddenly scrunched up and she gave a light whimper. I knew that nightmares plagued our young media liason, she constantly blamed herself for the choices she had to make about cases and they haunted her. Many a night I had to wake her from a particularly cruel nightmare. Jennifer's sofa had become almost a second home to me, my favored second home after a long case, a movie, a few glasses of wine and a movie and a night on that sofa was just what I needed to forget it. I placed my hand on Jennifer's shoulder and shook her gently.

"Wake up Bella, you are having a bad dream." Her eyes shot open and I clamped my hand over her mouth just before she let out a scream. "Shh, you don't want to wake the whole team do you?" Her blue eyes stopped darting around, and her eyes met mine. She shook her head gently, and I removed my hand. She instantly buried her face in my chest, letting herself go in a rare moment of weakness. "Want to talk about it?" She nodded and pulled away from e, just enough to be able to meet my eyes.

"Spence…" She rasped out, and I shook me head and pointed to the slightly cracked open bedroom door.

"He's just fine Bella, he's asleep in the next room. Same one as before?" Jennifer nodded, and curled back into my arms, seemingly unaware of where we were, or perhaps she didn't care. She had had a recurring nightmare since Spencer's attack that had plagued me as well. She dreamt that Reid's screams hadn't been heard, and that his attacker had finished his mission, and killed the young genius. I think everyone on the team had had that nightmare, but Spencer was like Jennifer's little brother, and the what if's had haunted her constantly.

"Jennifer?"

"Hmm?" I smiled and shifted my body so that both my arms were wrapped around her, and I was looking in her eyes.

"Can I ask you a question?" She nodded, a small smile gracing her beautiful features. I pulled one arm from around her, and laced my hand through hers. "Why do we keep avoiding this? We both know how we feel, and we are perfect for each other."

"You're a lothario Dave, I don't want to be another notch in your bedpost, besides why ruin a perfect thing? We get along fine as it is now, why ruin it by adding the complication of a relationship into the mix?" I practically growled, and my hand traveled up her back to grasp the back of her neck.

"Because, I care about you, a lot, Jenny, and I don't know what I would do without you and it terrifies me how strongly I feel about you." I nuzzled my nose into her neck briefly, breathing in her sweet scent before looking back in her eyes. "I want the complications babe, and I can assure you that you could never be just another so called notch in my bedpost." Jennifer took a deep breath and shut her eyes tightly for a moment.

"Say the words Dave, say them right now and you'll change my mind. But you have to mean them." My heart jumped rapidly with hope, suddenly making it hard to breathe. "I realized today that I can't afford to lose you either, so if you mean it, then I'm yours."

"I love you Jennifer, and I don't want to risk the thought of loosing you before I've found you. Say you'll be mine." Jennifer nodded, and I smiled broadly.

"I love you too Dave." That was all it took, I couldn't help myself, I pressed my lips to Jennifer's gently. She was having none of that, and the kiss quickly grew in passion both of us fighting for dominance.

We broke apart, gasping for air. I pressed my forehead against Jennifer's and couldn't fight the smile that was filling my face. "If you hurt my little gumdrop I will personally make sure your existence is forever wiped from the technological universe, David Rossi." Jen and I both chuckled as Garcia's sleepy voice filled the room. "I am very happy for you both, but shut up and go back to sleep." I pressed one last kiss to Jennifer's lips before pulling her back against my chest and settling back into the pillows. There was no doubting that I was a very content man.


	13. A Killer Agenda

Title: Stay With Me

Author: Ashley

Fandom: Criminal Minds

Rating: **T**

Ship: Reid/Morgan, Hotch/Prentiss, Rossi/JJ

Summary: After Reid is assaulted, can Morgan help him put his life back together, or will this send Reid over the edge, for good?

Warning: No warnings for this chapter!

Chapter Summary: The team discuss what to do about their case, and Morgan tries to deal with Reid's reaction to the threat placed on their team.

Author's notes: Okay, so I know I didn't _really _cover the threat in the last chapter, but I needed to get Emily's news out there, and I also needed to hurry up and get Rossi and JJ together, don't worry this is still a Reid/Morgan central fic though. I realized now that while my summary seems to draw people in it doesn't really accurately sum up the story, does anyone have any summary ideas for me? Because I would really love to hear them, I suck at writing summaries. Reviews are crack, and I need a fix! Oh, a question: Would there be any interest in a NCIS/Criminal Minds crossover? It would potentially star the following Ships, Tony/Gibbs, Abby/Garcia, and Morgan/Reid… I was also thinking of pairing Ziva with Rossi or Hotch… Not sure how well that one would go over though, let me know! I am REALLY sorry about not updating sooner, but I haven't had a computer! I do now, and I hope I still have readers!

We were all gathered at the police station bright and early in the morning, and by bright and early I mean three thirty.

The reason we were roused at that ungodly hour? Another body had been found, in exactly the same spot as the afternoon before. Our Unsub was beyond bold, and getting bolder.

"Guys, I just got off the phone with the chief of police, he's brining the pictures of the crime scene down now," Emily called out, nursing a cup of coffee. I took a long sip off my own cup, it was way to early to be dealing with pyscho's. "Jayje? Are you going to want to talk to the press about the newest body yet?" I shook my head, before leaning it against Dave's shoulder and yawning.

"Emmy, it's three thirty in the morning! No reporter, no matter how determined he or she is to get this story, will get out of bed at five thirty in the morning."

Reid let out a small snort from Morgan's lap, and opened one eye slowly to glare at Emily. "You are entirely too happy first thing in the morning. What's your secret?"

Emily stuck her tongue out at the young doctor, "Maybe I was already awake with my fiancé, and we were celebrating our engagement and my pregnancy?" She retorted. Morgan, Penny, and myself all burst out laughing when Aaron turned a deep shade of red, letting us know that that was EXACTLY what they were doing when we got the call out.

"Please cupcake, even I'M not this bubbly first thing in the morning." Garcia grumbled from the corner, as I poked Dave in the side, waking him up. "Where's Super Agent number one?" Knowing that Garcie was talking about Gideon, I shrugged my shoulders.

"I think he said something about going to meet with the first responding officer from yesterday." Morgan mumbled, burying his face deeper into Spence's neck.

"When we find this unsub," Garcia started, but Gideon walked in the room with a file envelope in his hand and a grim look on his face.

"We've had another contact from our killer," he muttered, handing the file to Hotch and crossing his arms over his chest.

Hotch pulled the first photograph out of the file, and we all became more alert. "'This was my original target. Did I forget to mention that my marks would continue to die as well? I must finish my work, no matter what you say. I would hate to kill another innocent, but if you don't stop hunting me another will die by nine o'clock tonight. You have three days to stop hunting me before I go after one of your agents, so if I were you I would make the decision to pull out quickly. Ta for now - A.N'"

"Again with that God Damn AN!" Morgan yelled, standing up quickly and dropping Spencer.

"Sit down Morgan!" Hotch commanded, his face slightly flushed, and his eyes zeroed on Emily. "We've got to find out the connection between all the victims, quickly."

"Until then, no one on this team goes anywhere alone." Gideon added, right before Spencer climbed shakily to his feet, shooting me a terrified glance and darting out of the room.

POV Change

We watched as Morgan followed Spencer out of the room, and I turned to Hotch. "This is serious Aaron, the teams been threatened, what are we going to do?" I asked, pulling JJ closer to me.

"I don't know Dave, I don't even want to think as an agent right now, I just want to pack up and get my fiancé and our baby out of here. But, I can't do that, and even if I tried Emily would kick my ass to hell and back." Emily nodded sharply and crossed her arms protectively over her stomach. "As it is," he added quietly, "I'm taking you out of the field Emily; you, JJ, Reid, and Garcia are to be either in the police building, or hotel room at all times. If you aren't I want you with one of us."

"Oh HELL no!" JJ raged, pulling away from me and getting in Hotch's face. "I can understand you taking Emily out of the field, she's pregnant and we have had a threat on our team, any good unit chief would take her out of the field, and she knows it too." Hotch opened his mouth, but JJ cut him off, "I DON'T understand why you are insisting on treating Spencer like a child, and I will be damned if you take me out of the field just because I am a woman."

"JJ, I'm not taking you out of the field because-"

"You are staying here Jenny, just like Hotch says." JJ rounded on me, and I could see the fire burning in her eyes.

"You are not going to come into my life and start telling me what to do, David Rossi. I am a perfectly capable Agent who can handle herself, and you need to get that through your head right now. If this thing between us is going to cloud your judgment on the job, I will end it now. Damn you Rossi, I love you but I refuse to have my life ruled by a man." She turned away from me, and back to Hotch. "Until you have a good reason to take me out of the field, I'm not staying behind. I'll agree that Spence and Emily probably should, but I refuse to stay behind just because I am a woman." Hotch sighed and I could see the resignation in Hotch's eyes. I was fuming.

"You aren't going into the field Jenny, I'm not going to let you risk your life because of your feminist attitude!"

"Dave, there is always going to be a risk with this job, you are an agent same as me. This threat has been made against all of us, you included, and you don't see me throwing a hissy fit over you going into the field do you? I understand the risks involved with this job, we all do; they were understood risks when we signed onto this job." Jennifer paused and took a step closer to me.

"JJ has a point, Agent Rossi." Garcia added, looking at me over the rim of her coffee cup. "We all knew that this job was a risk when we signed on. FBI agents almost always have a big red X painted on them."

"They both make good points Dave. And JJ _is _right. This threat is against the entire team, not just the women." Gideon muttered and I groaned, they were all teaming up on me.

"You can't always protect me Dave, but you have to let me do my job!"

POV Change

I headed toward the bathroom after Spencer, and found him huddled in the farthest stall from the door. "Spencer… You okay baby?"

"That's a really stupid question Der." Spence muttered, pulling his knees tighter to his chest. "I don't know if I can take this any more, this job is starting to get to me." I took a tentative step toward him, and pulled him into my arms gently.

"You are so good at your job though baby, nobody does it better than you." Spencer shook his head, but leaned into me.

"This job is breaking me, Derek. I'm so scared that I'm going to end up like my mother, I'm terrified of my own mind, my own shadow, my own boyfriend, our team." I could hear the tears coloring Spencer's voice.

"Spencer, that will all pass." I muttered, kissing the top of his head.

"No, you don't understand Derek!" His words tore at my heart and I dropped my arms before quickly pulling away from him.

"I don't understand?" I hissed, taking a step back from him. "You were there in Chicago, Spencer, you know what happened to me. What Buford did, what I went through, and you think that I don't _understand_?" My words sounded like growls even to my own ears, so I wasn't surprised when Spencer flinched away from me. "I've been where you are now for SEVEN years Spencer! Seven horrible years, and I didn't have a damn person to support me! No one knew what I was going through, and you have me, you have JJ, you have Emily, you have Hotch, you have Rossi, you have Garcia, you have Gideon. But don't think we don't understand, no. Go wallow in your own self pity Reid, walk away from the job you love so fucking much, walk away from your family and walk away from catching this killer." I turned on my heel and stormed out of the bathroom, brushing past Garcia and JJ who were staring at me with identical looks of shock on their face.

I stormed out of the police station and leaned against the wall heavily. I regretted saying those things to Spencer, but it wasn't like I could take it all back. "What the hell were you thinking?" I looked up from my hands to see Emily standing beside me.

"What?"

"I heard what you said to Spencer, we all did."

"And your point is? Stay the hell out of my head Prentiss." Emily shook her head and sat down next to me.

"He's scared."

"We all are."

"He's even more so." I frowned and looked over at her.

"I'm so scared for him. He won't let me in to help him. He forgets I've been down the same road before. That's why we are so good for each other. When he says how he feels, I can say I know without lying to him."

"And when he's scared you need to be comforting him, instead of bitching at him. I'm telling you right now, you are only making shit worse." Emily placed a comforting hand on my forearm. "We don't need anymore tension around here, I think the hotel room might explode." I opened my mouth to retort but a shadow passed over us and my hand went for my gun as I slid in front of Emily, pushing her up against the wall with my free hand.

"Damn, if that's how you react to me I'd hate to see what would happen if the actual Unsub showed up." Garcia muttered between pouted lips. "Boss man wants us all inside." I straightened quickly, and pulled Emily to her feet and followed both of my girls inside.

POV Change. (Hotch) 

Every member of my team was soon settled in the small room we had set up in, and they were all strangely quiet. I usually had to demand every ones attention several times but I didn't even have to say a word, as soon as I stood up the whole room went quiet. I met Emily's eyes as I opened my mouth to speak.

"We need to take this threat very seriously. No one is to leave the hotel or precinct by themselves. I don't care if you need to use the bathroom, you take some body with you. I would prefer you also have a local officer with you at all times when we are out in the field." I glanced around the room once, to ascertain that everyone was in agreement.

"This threat is not only against us, but it is now against every citizen in this city. We need to focus all of our efforts on apprehending this Unsub with speed and precision, beFORE he takes another life."

"Hotch, we haven't even been here forty eight hours, and this SOB has already killed two men. What are we supposed to do to assuage panic?" JJ asked me, nervously tapping her pen against the table.

"I'm not entirely sure yet JJ. But if we don't put up a strong front all that's going to occur is panic. Also, I need you to contact the media: they need to stop running the story on this unsub immediately. Tell them that we believe that he is thriving off the recognition he is receiving for these murders."

"I'm on it," she answered, pulling out her blackberry.

"Sir, I think I might have found a connection between the victims." Garcia muttered, her eyes rapidly scanning the small laptop screen in front of her.

"Really?" She nodded and grabbed the remote control from beside her, pulling everything up on the plasma screen she had hooked up and placed at the head of the table.

We all read the information silently, even JJ had stopped speaking on the phone and her blackberry fell from her hands.

"Baby girl…"

"Does that mean what I think it does?"

"Oh shit…"

"Damn it," I whispered under my breath. I glanced at Spencer who was paler than ever, and clutching the edge of the table so tightly his knuckles were white.

"I can't believe I didn't see it. I recognize the names now," Spencer whispered, his eyes meeting Derek's.

"Sir, almost all of the victims were openly protesting for better gay rights or the mistreatment of homosexuals. They all were either bisexual or completely homosexual." She took a deep breath, and opened her mouth to speak again only to have Gideon cut her off.

"All of the victims were homosexuals."

"He's killing off gays…" Emily added, tears in her eyes while she cradled her stomach and looked back and forth from Spencer to Morgan.


End file.
